• Geri Roskopf and her husband, Jeff, own and operate Roskopf’s Service and Towing, LLC. This year, they celebrated their 40th anniversary in business. They have been married since 1979 and have two adult children, Greg and Jessica, and five grandchildren.
  • She is chair of the St. Mary Parish Elizabeth Ministry, which was chartered at St. Mary in 2003 and was instrumental in establishing the parish’s Marian Memorial Garden in 2012, which is dedicated to lost children and provides a space for prayer and reflection in nature.
  • Roskopf has been active in the towing industry, holding leadership roles in different professional organizations. She and Jeff are both Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame inductees.

How long have you been a member of St. Mary’s?

My husband, Jeff, and I were married at St. Mary in 1979. Our children, Greg and Jessica, attended St. Mary Parish School, received all of their sacraments and even got married there.

What are some of the ways you have participated in parish life over the years?

Giving back to others has always been a priority in my life, and I’ve been involved in many different ways. I volunteered as a leader for Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, and as a parish catechist, teaching fifth and sixth grade religious education. I’ve also served at Mass as a Eucharistic (lay) minister and held leadership roles in parish groups, including human concerns and Elizabeth Ministry. Over the years, I served as chair of human concerns and coordinated parish outreach projects, such as Christmas in July (supporting mothers in need) and the Giving Tree (providing gifts for families at Christmas time). I currently serve as chair of Elizabeth Ministry, which was chartered at St. Mary in 2003 after I attended a talk by the organization’s founder and saw a need for it at St. Mary.

What is the Elizabeth Ministry?

The focus of Elizabeth Ministry is providing support to women during pregnancy. It is based on the story of two women, St. Mary and St. Elizabeth, who found support in each other during their pregnancies. The founder emphasized the power of a visit, thus our mission is: “Following the example of Mary and Elizabeth, we visit and share the sacredness of life.” The efforts of this ministry are designed to honor life, cherish children, encourage families, uplift the sanctity of marriage and build community.

You and Jeff are celebrating a big milestone this year: 40 years in business together. Tell us a little about your business and how that got started.

Jeff and I own and operate Roskopf’s Service and Towing, LLC. We offer towing and recovery services for Menomonee Falls and the surrounding areas. He goes out in the tow trucks, and I run everything on the office end.  When we started in 1984, I had two little ones at home and was working part-time at a bank. I did not know anything about running a business. Jeff’s parents ran a Mobil station, and he’d been working for them since he was 12. As business owners, my in-laws really became our mentors and taught us a lot.  We remain a small company with four employees, along with Jeff and myself. I know I can trust Jeff, and I give credit to my awesome employees who “keep the roof” on if we go away; we could not run our business without those employees. It’s not easy working with your husband 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year (Jeff probably says the same thing about working with me), but we draw on each other’s strengths.

Looking back, is there anything you would have done differently in the business?

I wish I would have insisted we had taken more quality time with our kids and as a family.  Business is important, but so is family time. Jeff missed out on a lot of family functions and events along with ball games, dance recitals, etc. Working in a family business is tricky and there are many challenges.

How have you made things work during those challenging times?

At a wedding I once attended, the priest used a bottle of glue as a prop and told the couple getting married that God was the glue that would hold their marriage together.  This message really stuck with me — no pun intended.  Because of the challenges of owning a towing business, which is 24/7/365, bringing up two children and trying to get everything done, there were many ups and downs in our marriage.  The one thing I do know is that our faith has pulled us through all of the tears and joys. Going to Mass is the glue that holds our marriage and faith journey together.

You and Jeff are very active in the towing industry and have both been acknowledged for your contributions. Could you share a few?

Jeff and I believe in giving back to our community and our industry.  Roskopf’s is a member of the Wisconsin Towing Association, the Towing and Recovery Association of America, the Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame and Museum, the Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau. Jeff and I have both been inducted into the Towing and Recovery Hall of Fame, which is a great and humbling honor.  I am a member of the Women of the Towing and Recovery Association of America — the only national towing association for women — and have served as president and on many of its committees. I am currently serving as chair of the Scholarship Committee, which is near and dear to me.  We also donate vehicles to the local fire and police departments for training.

What is one thing you wish people knew about the towing industry?
The towing industry wants all of their tow operators working on the side of the road to make it home every day.  So, to give them space to work while on the roadways, please move or slow down — it is the law.