Donald Richard Gondek

Donald Richard Gondek was born on November 11, 1929, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to Frank Gondek and Elizabeth A. Dugan during the final year of the Roaring Twenties. His father, Frank, had been born on December 8, 1898, in Milwaukee, making him thirty years old at the time of Donald's birth and representative of the first generation of Gondeks to come of age in the twentieth century. The Gondek family traced its lineage to Polish immigrants, with Frank's father being Wladislaw S. Gondek, who had arrived in America during the late nineteenth century—a common pattern of Eastern European migration to industrial centers like Milwaukee.

Donald came of age during the Great Depression and World War II, a formative period that would shape his generation's values of hard work and family commitment. The 1940 federal census captured him at age ten, living with his parents Frank and Elizabeth in Wisconsin. As a young man, Donald entered the electrical trade, beginning what would become an extraordinary forty-five-year career with the same company. This career longevity was unusual even by mid-twentieth-century standards and spoke to both his professional skill and the mutual loyalty between him and his employer.

The electrical industry in Milwaukee experienced tremendous growth during the postwar construction boom of the 1950s and 1960s, providing steady employment for skilled tradesmen like Donald. The International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers had established formal apprenticeship structures by this time, and Donald's long career suggests he either entered through these programs or quickly advanced once he began working in the field. His four-and-a-half decades in the electrical trade encompassed dramatic technological changes, from mid-century suburban electrification through the computerized systems of later decades.

Donald married Sharon, and together they built a life that would span sixty-two years. The couple established their home in New Berlin, Wisconsin, a suburban community in Waukesha County that experienced dramatic population growth during the era when Donald's family was forming and his career advancing. New Berlin's transformation from an agricultural community to a residential suburb occurred precisely during the years when the Gondek family was taking root there, and the ongoing construction activity provided steady work for skilled electricians like Donald.

Donald and Sharon raised two children: Kris Gondek and Douglas Gondek. Their family eventually expanded to include grandchildren Matthew Walesa, Britany Walesa, Michael Walesa, and Sani Walesa, all bearing the Walesa surname, indicating the children had married into another family line. In his later years, Donald had the joy of knowing five great-grandchildren: Gio, Xavier, Brooklyn, Amelia, and Jaxton Walesa, representing the fourth generation of his family legacy.

Throughout his life, Donald found joy in simple pleasures that reflected his working-class values and Wisconsin roots. He was an avid sports fan, particularly devoted to the Milwaukee Brewers and Green Bay Packers. His love for the Packers connected him to one of professional football's most storied franchises, which had achieved legendary status during his middle years with three consecutive NFL championships between 1965 and 1967. His support for the Brewers reflected the excitement of baseball's return to Milwaukee in 1970, when he was already forty years old and the franchise was reestablished under the leadership of Bud Selig.

Beyond spectator sports, Donald enjoyed fishing, connecting him to Wisconsin's rich Great Lakes recreational tradition. He also found entertainment in playing slot machines, a form of gaming that had become increasingly accessible in Wisconsin during his later years through the expansion of tribal casinos following gaming compacts negotiated in the early 1990s. These recreational interests reflected his appreciation for the accessible pleasures of life—sports, outdoor recreation, and modest entertainment.

Donald's character was remembered for his kindness, unwavering integrity, and deep love for those around him. His family described his wisdom and gentle spirit as gifts to all who knew him, emphasizing an individual guided by ethical principles and genuine regard for others. These qualities, combined with his remarkable work ethic and family devotion, made him a respected figure in his community and a beloved patriarch to his expanding family.

Living to the exceptional age of ninety-six, Donald witnessed nearly a full century of American history, from the Great Depression through the digital age. His longevity positioned him among the fortunate members of his birth cohort who experienced the dramatic transformations of the twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. He predeceased his beloved wife Sharon, with whom he had shared sixty-two years of marriage.

Donald Richard Gondek passed away peacefully on March 31, 2026, surrounded by the love of his family. His funeral services were held on April 8, 2026, at Church and Chapel Funeral Home in New Berlin, the community where he had made his home for so many years. He was laid to rest at Highland Memorial Park Cemetery, joining the many families of Southeastern Wisconsin who had been served by this endowment care cemetery since 1928. His memory lives on in the hearts of his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, carrying forward the legacy of a man who found fulfillment in honest work, family love, and life's simple joys.