October 15, 1934 – November 28, 2025
Elena Teresa Acerbi (neé Bocwinski), age 91, of Kenosha, WI, formerly of Naples, FL, passed away peacefully at home on Friday, November 28, 2025.
Born in Jáuregui, Buenos Aires, Argentina, on October 15, 1934, she was the daughter of the late Walter and Selma (Peikert) Bocwinski. The eldest of four children, Elena spent her childhood and school years in beautiful Argentina. In 1953, she and her family immigrated to the United States and made a new home in Kenosha.
Elena was a lifelong learner, always curious about what was “going on in the world.” After moving to the United States, she earned her GED, cosmetology license, and travel agent license, all while learning English as her second language. A woman of many talents, Elena worked as a ballroom dance instructor, a licensed beautician, a travel agent, and as an assembler at American Motors, making friends and collecting stories along the way.
On April 15, 1961, Elena was united in marriage to Peter J. Acerbi at St. Casimir Catholic Church in Kenosha. They were blessed with two wonderful children and 55 years of marriage. After raising their children in Kenosha, Elena and Pete spent many years as “snowbirds,” spending their winters in Naples, FL, and eventually moving to enjoy the warm weather year-round for eight years. Elena returned to Kenosha in 2021 and spent recent years surrounded by her beloved children and grandchildren.
Elena was a lifelong Catholic and member of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Kenosha and St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Naples. She was a social butterfly, maintaining lifelong friendships and forming new ones as a member of the Sandollars of Naples. She seemed to make a new friend every time she left the house, easily starting conversations and charming strangers. She said her secret was to ask lots of questions, because “people love to talk about themselves.”
Elena was a lover of beauty in all its forms. She had a passion for travel, visiting four continents and many countries over the years, often bringing family along to share the experience. Elena kept a beautiful garden at each place she called home, and was always the first to notice when flowers began to sprout in springtime. She was a fantastic cook, just like her mother, and spoiled family and friends with her pierogi, empanadas, soups, and desserts. Elena was a true matriarch and the cornerstone of her family. She taught her children and grandchildren the importance of passing down cultural traditions and shared countless stories from her life and those that came before her. Though eternally missed, she will be forever present in the stories and traditions she kept alive.
Elena is survived by her loving children, Lisa (Randall) Mueller and David Acerbi; her grandchildren, Morgen, Andrew, and Chloe Mueller; siblings John (Maria) Bocwinski and Anna (Ray) Sepanski; nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends from around the world. She is preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband Peter, and her brother, Ignatius “Iggy” Bocwinski.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a memorial to ELCA Outreach Center, https://elcaoutreachcenter.org/ or St. Peter’s Catholic Church. 2224 30th Ave, Kenosha, 53144 https://www.wesharegiving.org/app/giving/WeShare-20001809?tab=home
Visitation
DATE:
December 4, 2025, from 5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
LOCATION:
Piasecki Funeral Home
3720 39th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53144
Funeral Service
DATE:
December 5, 2025 at 11:00 am
LOCATION:
St. Peter Catholic Church
2224 30th Avenue, Kenosha, Wisconsin 53144
Graveside Service
DATE:
December 5, 2025, at 12:30 pm
LOCATION:
St. Casimir Cemetery
3308 47th Ave, Kenosha, WI 53144
