Baileys Harbor priest's legacy lives on after records discovered at Goodwill

BAILEYS HARBOR - The intricate mosaics decorating the front entrances to St. Mary's of the Lake Catholic Church glow in the dull winter light. The depictions of Jesus and the Virgin Mary adorning the church aren't large, and serve as embellishments which draw one's eye skyward — the legacy of Father Eugene Tremblay, who died in 2011. 

Until recently, few folks outside of northern Door County knew of Tremblay and his service to both his country and religion.

That changed when a curious employee at the Appleton Goodwill store stopped to examine a discarded three-ring binder placed in a bin for recycling or resale.

The binder chronicled Tremblay's war history — rarely shared with folks, according to his former parishioners. Tremblay, who served in the U.S. Air Force from World War II until his retirement in 1967, was the parish priest from 1969 to 1987.

"Most of us knew Father Tremblay served, but that he was awarded a Purple Heart during his service, no, that's not something he talked about," said Gerald Kita, 83, a local farmer who shared the community has had a "few priests" and Tremblay "was one of the best."

While working at the Goodwill store, Lataya Williams' curiosity was piqued by the binder and she opened it finding pages of old documents. As Williams scanned the yellowed grade school report cards and old military papers, she found that they told the story of Lt. Col. Eugene Tremblay, a World War II veteran born in 1905 in Chippewa Falls.

Besides the report cards, the binder included documents about his service in the Air Force from 1943 to 1967 where he earned a Purple Heart. He graduated from Harvard University's seminary school and devoted his life to the church with a large chunk of it at St. Mary's of the Lake in Baileys Harbor. After he retired from St. Mary's, he moved to Manitowoc where he died in 2011 at the age of 97.

Williams brought the binder to a supervisor, also a veteran, who gave it to Dennis Zemialkowski, the Goodwill NCW leader of logistics and an Air Force veteran. Zemialkowski contacted the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, which agreed to accept the binder in November and has plans for a future display.

"I'm glad Father Tremblay is getting this recognition. He was a very compassionate man and he was concerned about all of the people in Baileys Harbor," said Kriss Schorer, who knew Tremblay for many years.

Similar to the mosaics at the church entrances, Tremblay's life of service to his country and church was dedicated to quietly caring for others.

While the papers in the binder document pieces of Tremblay's life, his former parishioners in Door County painted the picture of the persona.

Tremblay was a man who focused on the "here and now" and didn't volunteer much about his years in World War II or the service, Kita said. Tremblay focused on the folks in his parish and worked to create a better community for everyone. 

"He was a quiet, gentle man who had a way with kids," Kita said. "He was easy to like."

The priest had a knack for engaging children and that showed everywhere he went, whether it was in church, community events or at a store, Schorer said.

"He knew card tricks and played with the kids," she said. "He also just loved to play cards."

Tremblay's greatest gift to the community was his legacy with the children, Schorer said.

"He made church fun," she said. "These kids didn't know it, but they learned a lot because of Father Tremblay."

USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin reporter Chris Mueller contributed to this article.