Sy was born April 13, 1938 in the Town of Angelica, Shawano County, Wisconsin, to the late Casimir and Adeline (Skarzynski) Socha. He attended country schools, graduating from Pulaski High School in 1956. He then entered the United States Army, serving from 1956 until 1958. Upon returning from the service, he attended U.W. River Falls where he earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Vocational Agriculture and Industrial Arts.
On June 30, 1962 Sy was united in marriage to the former Mary Klecker in Ellsworth, Wisconsin. The couple remained in River Falls while Sy completed his education. Sy taught school in South Dakota and Wisconsin for thirteen years. In 1975 the couple purchased the family farm near Krakow where they lived and farmed for the next 20 years. Shortly after they sold the farm, Sy and Mary moved to their lake home in the Town of Washington.
Sy is a member of St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Cecil. He is a 50 year member of the Knights of Columbus, and a lifetime member of the Polish Legion of American Veterans Post #178 in Krakow. He was also a lifetime member of the Cecil American Legion Post #392. In his younger years Sy loved to fish and hunt. He also enjoyed woodworking, gardening, and camping with his wife. He was an avid card player and bird watcher.
Survivors include his loving wife of 56 years, Mary, of the Town of Washington; five children, Janet (Sheldon) Huppert of Ellsworth, WI, Nancy (Vince) Lazzaroni of Lake Geneva, WI, Linda (Lonn) Bogenschneider, of Plymouth, WI, Jerome (Maria) Socha of Ft. Worth, TX, and Mark (Patti) Socha of Knoxville, TN; his grandchildren, Whitney, Cale, Sophia, Dominic, Lizzy, Ben, Jonathan, Gabriel, Phillip, Zathan, Isaac, Wyatt, and Sylas; four brothers, William (Audrey) Socha, Thomas (Joan) Socha, Bernard (June) Socha, and James (Kim) Socha; four sisters, Rita (Irvin) Rozmiarek, Agnes (Bob) Miller, Mary Socha, and Clara (Fred) Fleischman; two aunts, Angela and Harriet Skarzynski; and many nieces, nephews, and friends. He was preceded in death by one sister, Elizabeth Ostry, and one grandson, Alex Huppert.
A Memorial Mass for Sylvester Socha will be celebrated on Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 10:30 AM at St. Martin of Tours Catholic Church in Cecil. Fr. Tom Farrell will be the Celebrant. Inurnment will take place in the church cemetery. Full Military Honors will be conducted at the cemetery by the Polish Legion of American Veterans Post #178. Visitation will begin on Friday night, July 20, 2018 from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at the church, with a Rosary service at 6:00. Visitation will continue on Saturday at the church from 9:00 AM until the hour of Mass.