David A. Jr. Marcou

David A. Marcou, Jr, 83, of La Crosse, died Sunday, March 8, 2015, in the Onalaska Care Center. He was born in the family’s grocery store in Mondovi, Wis. on April 14, 1931 to David and Agnes (Fitzgerald) Marcou. His very first achievement in life was being named the “Buffalo of Baby County”(sic) for winning a contest for being 30 pounds at six months of age. The family moved to La Crosse in 1940 and opened Marcou’s Market on Rose Street. Dad attended Aquinas High School, where he met the love of his life, Rose Muskat. They were married on February 14, 1950, living on the Northside ever since, and raising a family of seven children.

Dad was an avid Packers, Brewers and Badgers fan, especially when he had “good numbers.” He wasn’t much of a traveler, flying only once, and then “never again”, but he loved his baseball road trips to County Stadium and Miller Park with his sons (and later grandsons).

Dave had an incredible work ethic, starting as a young boy in the family’s grocery store and working in La Crosse area stores, finishing his career in meat-cutting at Quillins and Skogens. Due to failing health, he retired at the age of 77 without having missed a day of work in his life. Many of you may only remember “Dave” in the meat department at local stores by first name only, but he was the one with the smiling face and healthy laugh, who always had a joke or a funny one-liner. He kept that sense of humor up to the very end.

Dave will be dearly missed by his loving wife of 65 years, Rose, and their seven children, David J. Marcou, of La Crosse, Dennis (Polly) Marcou of La Crosse, Daniel (Vicki) Marcou of Holmen, Thomas (Beverly Joy) Marcou of Meadowlakes, Texas, Diane (Rocky) Skifton, of La Crosse, Lynnette Marcou of Onalaska, and Mary “Kate” Temp of Holmen, 17 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, along with many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents, all four of his siblings, James Marcou, Margaret Brom, Alice Long and Rosemary Trowbridge, and his grandson and little buddy, Tony Skifton.

A mass of Christian burial will be held at St. James the Less Church, 1032 Caledonia St., La Crosse, on Friday, March 13, 2015 at 10:00 a.m. Rev. Robert Schaller will officiate with burial to be held at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, La Crosse. A visitation will be held from 5:00 pm to 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, March 12, at the Blaschke & Schneider Funeral Home, 1501 West Ave. So., La Crosse. Family and Friends may also visit on Friday, March 13, from 9:00 a.m. until the time of Mass at the Church.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff of Onalaska Care Center for making Dad’s last few weeks as pleasant and as comfortable as possible.

Surely, in typical fashion, Dad would’ve liked to end with one of his favorite jokes: A man came upon a lamp partly buried in sand, picked it up, and rubbed the sand off. A genie sprang forth, and granted the man one wish. The man said, “Well, I’ve always wanted to go to Hawaii, but don’t like flying. Could you build me a bridge from here to Hawaii?” The genie looked at him and said, “Man, do you know how much steel, concrete, and construction that would take? It’s impossible. Make another wish.” The man thought a minute, then said: “Well, I’ve always wanted to understand my wife better. Could you make it so I know what she’s thinking, and what she really wants?” The genie looked down and responded: “Do you want that bridge two lanes or four?”

Thanks, Dad, for all the good times, the laughs, and the memories.