John Michael Lesnik, 76, of Kenosha, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family on Monday, March 17, 2025. John was born in Kenosha, Wisconsin on June 24, 1948, and was the middle of three children born to Stanley and Mary Jessie (Ziolkowski) Lesnik.
In 1966, John graduated from St. Joseph Catholic High School. On October 4, 1969, John was united in marriage to his high school sweetheart Carol Rose Frye at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church in Kenosha, WI. They worked hard together during their marriage to build a life for their family, instilling the values of hard work, education, family connections, and a love for the outdoors.
In 1967, John began his career at Dynamatic Corporation and then moved to Jacobson Manufacturing in Racine, WI. During his time at Dynamatic and Jacobson, he made many life-long friends and memories. He finished his career at the Pleasant Prairie RecPlex, surrounded by the sports he loved to watch. John was a hard-working family man, who did not miss his children’s or grandchildren’s sporting or music events (except during hunting season). He enjoyed refinishing projects, listening to 1950s music, and was always busy working around the house. John loved the Milwaukee (Atlanta) Braves and the Baltimore (Indianapolis) Colts and could often be heard cheering loudly throughout the house alongside his longtime friend and neighbor, Big Gary, while watching sports.
John was an outdoorsman who spent over 70 years making memories traveling with his brothers to the Northwoods of Wisconsin hunting birds and fishing for Northern Pike, Bass, and Muskie on Big Sand Lake in Phelps, WI. During Up North family vacations, he enjoyed early morning fishing with his son and grandsons and sitting by the campfire talking about the one (or all) that got away with his Up North friends. His family continues the semiannual tradition started by the Lesnik family in the 1950s. John traveled as often as he could to southwestern WI and spent many years hunting the Freymiller farmlands alongside cousins on the picturesque hills in Woodman. John enjoyed spending time with the Ziolkowski and Wasiak families during the annual picnics and cousin breakfasts throughout the year.
John is survived by his wife, Carol (Frye) Lesnik, son Mark (Jeana) Lesnik and daughter, Heather (Jody Trieloff) Lesnik; grandchildren, Ryne Lesnik, Matthew Lesnik, Logan Trieloff, and Lauren Trieloff; brothers, James Lesnik and Joseph Lesnik; His nephew and hunting buddy Jeff (Laurdus) Lesnik, and nieces Jennifer Lesnik, and Theresa Lesnik. His great nieces Gianna and Viviana Lesnik and great nephew Jimmy Lesnik.
John has been reunited with his son, Michael John Lesnik and parents, Stanley and Mary Lesnik, his sister in-laws Barb Lesnik and Jane Cromer-Lesnik; in-laws Chester and Anne Frye, and many aunts and uncles who preceded him in death.
The family extends our thanks and gratitude to family, friends and caregivers including Aurora Hospice who cared for John at home over the last several months. The kindness and compassion you showed will be warmly remembered.
Friends and family are invited to gather for a memorial celebration of John’s life at the Covenant at Murray Mansion, 2219 Washington Avenue, Racine, Wisconsin on Saturday, April 5th, 2025, at 11:00 am. A service will commence at 11:30 am and lunch will be served at 12:00 pm.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the family that will be applied towards a newly formed memorial club in John’s name to spread his love for the outdoors and provide fishing experiences for students at Lance Middle School. The club will be run under the direction of Mark Lesnik.
