DuWayne J. Novak

DuWayne J. Novak, age 77 of the Town of Belle Plaine, Shawano County was called home by his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

DuWayne was born on August 28, 1948 in Milwaukee and raised by his mother and step-father Esther (Stachowiak) and Arthur Zacharias. He graduated from Pulaski High School in Milwaukee in 1967 and was united in marriage to Kathryn Zellmer from Clintonville on November 4, 1967 in Milwaukee. DuWayne was drafted into the United States Army in 1968 during the Vietnam War. He was awarded the Purple Heart and honorably discharged from service in 1969. DuWayne became a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Green Bay where he loved visiting with the customers on his route. DuWayne enjoyed hunting, fishing, and living in the woods. He cherished time with family; enjoying every moment with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. DuWayne loved the Lord and served at Hope Community Church in Shawano as an usher and head of the security team for the Summer Blast. He also served on the launch team for Hope Community Church’s Clintonville campus. DuWayne loved greeting his fellow church members and handing out bulletins each Sunday morning. He was a proud member of the Clintonville American Legion Post #63 and a life member of VFW Post #664. DuWayne volunteered with a smile, cooking steaks for the American Legion steak fries in town each month. He also had an awesome sense of humor and loved playing cards with family; often teasing them along the way. He started block parties with the neighbors and genuinely had a servant’s heart. DuWayne’s smile and laughter he created will be missed by many.

Survivors include: His Wife: Kathryn Novak.
Son: DuWayne “DJ” Novak, Jr.
Grandchildren: Brittany (Marshall) Faulks & Nathaniel Novak.
Great-Grandchildren: Brooklyn & Malakai Faulks.
Sisters: Darlene Krueger & Donna (Mark) Murawski.
Also numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, a brother Al (Marlen) Novak, a sister Lucy Kuwapick, and a brother-in-law Richard Krueger.

DuWayne’s memorial service will be held Saturday, April 18, 2026 at 11am at Hope Community Church in Shawano with Pastor Richie Ford officiating. Inurnment will take place at a later date at Graceland Cemetery in Clintonville. Military honors will be conducted outside of the church following the service by members of the Clintonville American Legion Post #63, VFW Post #664, American Legion Auxiliary Unit #63, and D.A.V. Chapter #53. Visitation will be held at the church on Saturday, April 18, 2026 from 9am until the time of the service. In lieu of flowers a memorial fund will be established by DuWayne’s family. They’d also like to thank the staff at Unity Hospice and Shawano Health Services for their loving care of DuWayne. The Eberhardt-Stevenson Funeral Home & Crematory of Clintonville is assisting with his arrangements. www.eberhardtstevenson.com