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Mildred Polisky

November 25th, 2009

 Manitowoc native Mildred (Millie) Polisky, nee Koritzinsky, died July 10 at age 89 from complications following a stroke.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting and later a master’s in business education from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In 1943 in San Antonio, Texas, she married Arnold Polisky. After World War II, the couple moved to Fond du Lac and later settled in the Milwaukee area.

An active member of Congregation Beth Israel, she served as treasurer of the synagogue, its sisterhood and its bingo program. She edited the synagogue bulletin, was a member of its board of trustees and was honored in 1985 as its first and only female Lifetime Trustee. She also received the shul’s Woman of Valor award.

Other Jewish involvement included her lifetime membership in Hadassah and active memberships in Na’amat USA and ORT.

“Raised in an Orthodox home, Judaism was an integral part of her life,” her family wrote for her obituary.

A faculty member in Milwaukee Area Technical College’s Business Division, she developed a business education lab and wrote a business education textbook. She spoke at state and national business education and accounting conventions.

After their 7-year-old son, Allan, died from cystic fibrosis in 1954, the Poliskys helped to form the Wisconsin chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She remained actively involved with the foundation for many years and received many awards for her fundraising efforts, distinguishing her as the largest individual cystic fibrosis fundraiser in Wisconsin, her family said.

She is survived by her husband of 66 years, Arnold Polisky of Glendale, daughter Beth (Barry) Reisig of McLean, Va., brothers Sydney (Rosilyn) Koritzinsky of Mequon and Paul Koritzinsky of Madison; sister Jane (Seymour) Lichtman of Silver Spring, Md.; and two grandchildren.

Rabbi Jacob Herber officiated at funeral services. Burial was in Second Home Cemetery. Funeral arrangements were handled by Goodman Bensman Funeral Home.

The family would appreciate memorial contributions to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation-Wisconsin Chapter, 20875 Crossroads Circle, Suite 350, Waukesha, WI 53186.