Brcka, Raymond J. (1942-2015)

BRCKA, JAKOUBEK, BECKER, KAWALEK

Posted By: Paul Nagy (email)
Date: 7/27/2015 at 10:50:03

Raymond J. Brcka
March 27, 1942 - July 18, 2015

FOREST CITY – In the quiet woodshop, the stacks of dried wood on the racks will have to wait for another carpenter. Ray Brcka passed away in his sleep at his home on Saturday, July 18, 2015.

The younger son of Edward and Rose (Jakoubek) Brcka, Ray was born on March 27, 1942. He grew up in the Duncan area, attending country school near Duncan and then graduating from Garner High School in 1959. In 1964, he married Marjorie Becker in Wesley, Iowa. They settled in Forest City where they lived for forty-six years in the home that Ray built from a sketch on the back of an envelope.

Foremost a builder, Ray started his career working for Francis “Sonny” Pitkin, and upon Sonny’s death in 1963, he went into partnership with Clarence Wellik in the construction business. Later, he started Brcka Construction, and became a partner in Southtown Building Supply. Throughout his career, he touched the lives of countless people while building or remodeling their homes. From a coop for his grandkids’ chickens to the Atrium addition at Waldorf College, Ray took on many challenges. A highly regarded builder, he, always, excelled in quality and customer satisfaction.

After he retired, Ray enjoyed fussing in his shop with woodworking projects while listening to country oldies and polka music. He, also, liked playing cards, making new friends, and touring the area in the “Oscarmobile” with his dog Oscar and cat Marvin. In addition, he found Sunday afternoons a treat when he could go horseback riding at Pilot Knob.

Ray is survived by his wife of fifty years, Marge, and three children: Patti (Bill) Kawalek, and their son, Josh, of Forest City, Keith (Ann) Brcka, of Fertile, and their children, Brian and Carrie, and Kent (Holly) Brcka, of Clear Lake, and their children, Olivia, Alex, and Nichola; and his brother, Frank (Marguerite) Brcka, of Plymouth; along with many nephews, nieces, cousins, and other family members.

Funeral services will be held at 10:30 A.M., Tuesday, July 21, 2015, at St. James Catholic Church in Forest City. Burial will follow in the church cemetery. Visitation will be from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M., Monday, at the Cataldo Schott Funeral Home, 505 N. Clark St., Forest City, with a Scriptural wake service at 7:00 P.M. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Raymond Brcka Memorial Fund which will be used to establish a building trades scholarship.

Copyright © 2015, Cataldo Schott Funeral Home

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