Jon Miskowski, PBS Wisconsin leader, dies at 65

Jon Miskowski, emeritus director of television for PBS Wisconsin, died Saturday at his home following a yearslong battle with cancer. He was 65.

Miskowski retired as the station’s leader May 1. After the announcement, he told Current in a statement that he treasured his public media career and that he was working “on a more focused joy as I spend more time with my family.”

PBS Wisconsin said in an article posted on its website Tuesday that the organization and public media “is stronger, more impactful, more resilient and better able to serve the needs of all of our audiences because of the work Jon accomplished throughout his career. Thank you, Jon. We will miss you.”

“Jon was committed to public media for more than four decades,” America’s Public Television Stations CEO Kate Riley said in a news release. “He was an inspirational leader, dedicated and passionate about serving the people of Wisconsin. We are immensely grateful for his longstanding devotion to our public media system, and his legacy of service will live forever. We mourn Jon’s loss and we extend our deepest sympathies to his family, friends and colleagues.”

Jon James Miskowski was born Aug. 4, 1960, in Stevens Point, Wis. He attended St. Stephens grade school and graduated from Stevens Point Area Senior High School, according to his obituary.

He received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point with concentrations in English, history and religious studies. He also took graduate courses at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in English but did not complete an advanced degree.

Miskowski met his wife, Mary, while attending UW-Stevens Point. They later moved to Madison, where Miskowski began volunteering in 1984 at WHA-TV, later known as PBS Wisconsin.

He began work in 1989 as membership director for WGBY-TV in Springfield, Mass. In 1992, he returned to WHA-TV as development director. He was named director of television at PBS Wisconsin in 2015.

Miskowski had many interests outside of work, including sports. As a child, he played Little League baseball and was coached by his father. As an adult, he supported Wisconsin Badgers football, basketball, hockey, volleyball, the Green Bay Packers, the Milwaukee Brewers and the Milwaukee Bucks. Miskowski also enjoyed swimming, softball and pick-up basketball. His favorite board and card games included Sorry!, Monopoly, Cribbage and the Midwest staple Euchre.

Miskowski is survived by his wife, Mary Sarnowski; children Ben (Liz) Miskowski and Sam Miskowski; sisters Nancy (Ron) Smith, Sharon (Tom) Koss and Chris (Tom) Orella; and grandchild Liliana Miskowski. He was preceded in death by his parents Irene and James (Jim) Miskowski.

An open house reception will be held in Madison May 21 at the Madison Public Central Library. A family gathering will be held at Bukolt Park in Stevens Point June 21. In lieu of flowers, the family asked that donations be made to PBS Wisconsin or to PBS stations.