Lucille M. Stanek, age 86, of Hillsboro, died Sunday, Aug. 25, 2013 at Pine Valley Healthcare & Rehabilitation Center in Richland Center after a 13 year long battle with cancer. Lucille was born on Oct. 17, 1926 at home in Greenwood Township, Vernon County the daughter of Charles Sr. and Frances (Shema) Verbsky. On Sept. 26, 1951 she married Edward W. Stanek at St. John’s Catholic Church in Dilly, Wisconsin.
Lucille was a country gal at heart, believed in being a good neighbor, and loved and enjoyed nature. She was a long-time member of the Yuba-Hillsboro Czech Singers, and was listed as a Czech interpreter through the State of Wisconsin. She was a member of St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Hillsboro, St. Ann’s Altar Society, and Cesky Den.
Lucille grew up on a farm during hard times in the 1930s and because of it, she knew the value of saving and conservatism. She attended Hillsboro High School during WWII, walking two miles every day just to meet the bus so she could go to school. She loved playing the cornet and truly enjoyed old time Czech polka dances with her beloved partner, Eddie, making many rounds about the dance floors of Yuba and Hillsboro.
Lucille worked hard next to Eddie on the farm, driving tractor in the fields, baling hay, and cutting wood for winter and milking cows, and she truly enjoyed doing so. She raised a huge garden every year, and supplied neighbors and friends with ground horseradish each spring and fall. Lucille always took pride in keeping her large lawn freshly mowed. She had many hobbies from sewing, knitting and crocheting (selling many afghans) to refinishing furniture, chair caning, woodworking, preserving her garden produce, baking kolaches and rholiki, and picking out and selling hickory nut meats (as many as 88 pounds one year). She was always busy and enjoyed her life, her family and her friends until cancer took over In March. Her sly wit, grin, memories of long ago, and wisdom regarding any issue will be sorely missed by family, neighbors, and especially her cookie-eating hunting gang.
Survivors include her daughter, Mary K. Housner of Richland Center; a sister-in-law, Eleanor Verbsky of Elroy, WI; a brother-in-law, Donald (Lorraine) Stanek of Punta Gorda, Florida; sister-in-laws, Norma and Berniece Stanek, both of Hillsboro; many nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a brother Charles Verbsky Jr., nieces Joanne Stanek Duitsman and Susan Stanek Prats, nephews Francis Stanek and Steven Verbsky, and a great nephew Jesse Stanek.
A Funeral Mass was held on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2013 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church in Hillsboro with Fr. Don Bauer officiating. Visitation was held Aug. 27-28 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church. Burial was held in the Mt. Vernon Cemetery in Hillsboro. Lucille requested no flowers, preferred memorials be made to local cancer societiess to help those fighting to survive cancer. Memorials may be given to: Walk with G.R.A.C.E., P.O. Box 213, Richland Center, WI 53581; Scenic Hills H.O.P.E., P.O Box 274, Hillsboro, WI 54634; or a charity of your choice. The Clary Memorial Funeral Home in Richland Center assisted the family with arrangements. Online condolences can be made at www.clarymemorialfuneralhome.com
