James R. Lemsky

James “Jim” Robert Lemsky, 72, passed away peacefully on May 10, 2026 after a long, hard fought illness, surrounded by his wife and stepdaughter.  

Jim was born on August 21, 1953, to Mary “Pat” (Koeppler) Lemsky and Glenn A. Lemsky in  Marinette, WI. He grew up in a large family as one of ten children, acquiring his Marinette  nickname of “Whitey” due to his sun-bleached hair. Jim attended Our Lady of Lourdes grade  school and graduated from Marinette High School, class of 1971, where he competed in cross country, track, and wrestling. Following graduation, he attended UW-Marinette and earned his  Bachelor of Business Administration from UW-Eau Claire, where he was an active lifelong  member of the TKE fraternity. Spending most of his career within the natural foods industry, he  lived in numerous locations across the globe, including but not limited to Minnesota, Iowa,  Kansas, Texas, California, New York, and Europe. Jim retired as Vice-President of International  Sales for Hain Foods and settled in Green Bay, Wisconsin where he met the love of his life,  Tracy Stansbury, and his stepdaughter, Chelsea Anderson. Jim and Tracy married on August  24, 2012 and lived happily on the Bay of Green Bay for 15 years with their three Weimaraners  (Madison, Mitchell, and Willow) before moving to York, Maine for the remainder of his life.  

In spite of his many business relocations, Jim always maintained a large network of lifelong  friendships. He was competitive, active, and deeply loved the outdoors including hunting,  fishing, snorkeling, and competitive cycling. Jim traveled the world extensively, including fulfilling  a bucket-list dream of diving on many of the world’s great reefs. He was a proud Wisconsinite  and enjoyed cheering on the Wisconsin sporting teams, especially the Green Bay Packers and  Wisconsin Badgers. Jim also had a passion for stock analysis and investing, which led him to  land development projects in both Green Bay and Wausaukee, Wisconsin.  

Jim possessed a rare combination of intelligence and emotional insight. He had a remarkable  ability to understand complex ideas, retain knowledge, and apply it with creativity and  practicality. At the same time, he was exceptionally perceptive about people, often seeing  beyond appearances to understand a person’s true character. His wisdom was balanced by  humor, humility, and a gift for storytelling that could turn even familiar tales into unforgettable  entertainment. Joy was essential to Jim’s spirit. His smile, laughter, curiosity, and enthusiasm  for life were contagious. Whether enthusiastically exploring grocery store and Costco aisles,  sharing stories with friends, or traveling with companions on trips, he found happiness in  experiences shared with others. Those who knew him will remember not only his  accomplishments, but the energy, generosity, humor, and humanity he brought into every room  he entered.  

Jim was preceded in death by his parents, Mary “Pat” (Koeppler) Lemsky and Glenn A. Lemsky,  and by his brother, Joseph Lemsky. Jim is survived by his beloved wife, Tracy (Stansbury)  Lemsky; stepdaughter, Chelsea Anderson; five sisters, Mary (Mark) Peterson, Leanne Herrild,  Kathy (Wayne) Adams, Sue (Mike) Pierson, and Julie Lemsky (Kurt Schadewalt); three brothers,  Bill (Marilyn) Lemsky, John Lemsky, and Tom (Melissa) Lemsky; sister-in-law, Patt Lemsky; and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and friends whom he  cherished dearly.  

The family wishes to thank the staff of Beacon Hospice and FCP Live-In for the exceptional  care, dignity, and support they provided to Jim and his family. A Funeral Mass celebrating  Jim’s life will be held on Saturday, May 16, at 1:00 p.m. ET at St. Christopher's Church. Burial  and a celebration of life will immediately follow the service.

In lieu of flowers, please consider  donating to one of the following charities: American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to  Animals (ASPCA), Wounded Warrior Project, or Progressive-Supranuclear Palsy (PSP) and  Corticobasal Degeneration (CBD) Foundation.