Emil J. Dlapa

Emil J. Dlapa of New Berlin. Passed away on Saturday, August 3, 2019, surrounded by his family.

Beloved husband of the late Beverly. Best dad ever to Dawn (Brad) Mossing, Linda (Scott Bennett) Luna, the late David, Jayne (Clif) Albino, Lori (Jim) Warzinski, Stephen (Brenda), Diane (Scott) Hedding, and Judy (Eric) Rosynek. Bestest grandpa of 16 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren. Also survived by his sisters, Helen, Roseann, Irene, Anne, other relatives, and friends. Preceded in death by his brother, Rudy, and his best friend, Cliff.

Emil loved camping, gardening, and dartball. He was a long-time member of the Wisconsin Slovak Historical Society.

Visitation at St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church, 12700 West Howard Avenue, New Berlin, Wisconsin, on Thursday, August 8, 2019, from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM. Mass of Christian Burial at 7:00 PM. Burial at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery on Friday, August 9, 2019, at 11:00 AM.

A couple weeks ago, I started asking Grandpa Emil about his Slovak heritage. I asked him about the traditions that he brought to our family, and a couple of my favorite are dying and decorating Slovak Easter eggs, making palacinkies for breakfast, and sharing gifts on Christmas Eve every year. These are a few traditions that have become so normal to my grandpa and our family, that I know my own children will grow up with them as well. Apart from Slovak traditions, me and my grandpa share one of our own. In the past couple years, I would make my grandpa peanut butter cookies and share a couple with him when I saw him. Recently, over our peanut butter cookie dates, I began asking my grandpa questions about how our family came to be.

I first asked my grandpa about how he met my grandma. He explained that she was responsible for his mediocre math grade when they were sophomores in high school. My grandpa claimed that my grandma kept him distracted throughout class, and chased him down when he “just wanted to play basketball with his friends.” My grandpa said that he wasn’t interested in girls, but my grandma made him interested in girls- interested in my Grandma Bev specifically. My grandpa even admitted that after a bit of chasing, he loved to give my grandma the attention and support she craved, only after realizing she was too persistent for his time. My grandparents got married 3 years after they met, when they were 19 years old. Perhaps that is why the foundation of our family was so solid- because it was based on love and commitment, even through sacrifice and struggle.

After high school, my grandpa said it was his destiny to become an electrician because he told me the name Emil means “worker” and “electrician.” He lived up to this name by working hard to provide for his 8 children and being a rock for his family. Together, my grandparents were responsible for raising children who remained close as they grew up, and all remained within 15 miles of each other. Each of my grandparents children went on to have 1, 2 or 3 of their own children, to create a large and sprawling family tree of Dlapas. And each of these Dlapa kids all raised their own children to respect and admire the value of family.  Every chance I have to see my cousins, aunts and uncles, I’m thankful. While our rock, Grandpa Emil, will no longer be at our family gatherings, there is one more angel in Heaven now. So gramps, I’ll see ya when I see ya, and no sooner.