SHIMEK, Clarence Joseph 1925-1999

VORDA, SHIMEK, BOHR, BREITENSTEIN, OTT, LUPKES, JOERGER, GEHLING, PESEK

Posted By: IA GenWeb Volunteer
Date: 9/15/2010 at 14:51:59

Decorah Journal, Thursday, Dec. 23, 1999

Clarence Shimek

Clarence J. Shimek, 74, of Elma, died Tuesday, Dec. 14, 1999, at the Colonial Manor in Elma of natural causes.

Funeral services were held Thursday, Dec. 16, at 10:30 a.m., at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, rural Elma, with the Rev. Roger Rethamel officiating.

Anita Hastings was the organist, accompanying the church choir singing "Here I Am Lord," "Prayer of St. Francis," "On Eagles Wings" and "Be Not Afraid."

Joe Thraenert was the lector. Mass servers were Chelsie Shimek and Christopher Shimek. Eucharistic ministers were Mary Gehling and Jeanette Heintz. Gift bearers were Tom, John and Peter Shimek. The pall was placed by Clarence's wife and children.

Casket bearers were Daniel Breitenstein, Beth Breitenstein, Amy Ott, Andrew Ott, Justin Shimek, Eric Shimek, Chelsie Shimek, Nick Lupkes, Jackie Lupkes, Timothy Shimek, Amber Shimek, Christopher Shimek and Gregory Shimek.

Honorary bearers were Andy Smith, Darrin Bohr, Joe Heintz, Tony John, Richard Shimek and Jeff Gehling.

Burial was at the church cemetery. The Conway Funeral Home in Elma handled arrangements. Visitation included a Knights of Columbus rosary.

Clarence Joseph Shimek was born March 21, 1925, at Protivin, the son of Joseph and Rose (Vorda) Shimek.

He attended rural school and Our Lady of Lourdes School. After his schooling, he farmed with his father.

On Aug. 9, 1948, he was married to Roselyn Bohr at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. After their marriage, the couple farmed east of Lourdes, where they resided all their married life.

In addition to farming his own land, Clarence also did custom corn shelling and sheep shearing.

He was an honorary life member of the Elma Knights of Columbus Council No. 4144, and was past Grand Knight. He was a 4th degree Knight of Columbus and was a member of the Davis Assembly.

Clarence was a lifelong member of Our Lady of Lourdes Church. He enjoyed playing baseball, bowling and taking his children fishing.

Survivors include his wife, Roselyn; his mother, Rose of Cresco; three sons, Tom and Bobbie Shimek of Riceville, John and Mary Shimek of Ridgeway, and Pete Shimek of Protivin; four daughters, Mary Patricia Shimek of Decorah, Jeanene and Ed Breitenstein of Keokuk, Anne and Jim Ott of Cresco, and Jayne and Myron Lupkes of Kensett; 13 grandchildren; one greatgrandchild; two brothers, Cletus of Charles City and Kenneth of Protivin; and two sisters, Loretta Joerger of Las Vegas, and Marion Gehling of Albert Lea, Minn.

Clarence Shimek was preceded in death by his father, and one sister, Lorraine Pesek.

Transcribed by an IA GenWeb Volunteer from obituaries found in the Howard-Winneshiek Genealogy Society Library, Cresco, Iowa.