Dorothy M. Platek

          Dorothy M. Platek, 90, of Farwell died Monday, April 4, 2016 at CHI St. Francis in Grand Island.

          Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Friday at Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul.  Fathers Rayappa Konka, Ray Kosmicki and Matthew Koperski will officiate.  Interment will be in Elmwood Cemetery in St. Paul.

          Visitation will be held on Thursday, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Jacobsen-Greenway Funeral Home in St. Paul.

           Memorials are suggested to the family’s choice.

          Mrs. Platek was born May 14, 1925 at Farwell to Frank and Mary (Mueller) Nesiba.

          Dorothy was raised near Farwell and attended country school west of Farwell to the 8th grade when she was needed at home to care for her brothers and ill mother.

          When Dorothy was in school she taught herself to speak English as she was raised speaking Czechoslovakian.

          She was united in marriage to John Platek on January 28, 1946 in St. Paul.

          The couple lived on a farm west of Farwell.  She worked at a cafe and grocery store in Farwell for a time along with working on the family farm milking cows and raising chickens.  Dorothy babysat her grandchildren and great-grandchildren for many years.

          One of the toughest parts of her life was when a tornado destroyed their house and most of their farm buildings on May 8, 1965.  They moved into a small home on John’s parents farm until their new home was built on that farm.

          Another difficult period of her life was when they lost their son Lonnie who died at age 26 in 1977.

          Dorothy was a very good homemaker who always had a neat house.  She made excellent kolaches, rohlicky, angel food cake, sauerkraut and dumplings.  Being a good cook, she like to review different recipe books.

          Dorothy and John were very good dancers who loved to attended polka dances in the area. 

          She served as the sexton of the Czechoslovakian Cemetery near Farwell for many years.

          She was a member of the First Presbyterian Church in St. Paul where she had taught Sunday School.  She was a member of the WFLA #152 of Farwell where she served in different offices and the Carl Mogensen American Legion Auxiliary Unit 119 of St. Paul where she had served as president.  Dorothy also spent a lot of time volunteering for the Farwell Fire Department fundraisers by providing baked goods.

          Survivors include a son and daughter-in-law, Daryl and Marie Platek of St. Paul; a daughter and son-in-law, Cindy and Ken Andersen of Omaha; five grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren; several nieces, nephews and cousins.

          She is preceded in death by her parents; husband, John on August 18, 2011; a son, Lonnie; seven brothers, Bill, Emil, Frank, Louie, Edward, Joe, and George Nesiba and two sisters, Olga Bydalek and Lottie Hale.

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