Darlene A. (Fassler) Pavelka

Darlene A. Pavelka, 90, of rural Bladen passed away on March 31, 2019 at the Blue Hill Care Center in Blue Hill, Nebraska.

 Services will be held on Saturday, April 6, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. at the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hastings, NE with the Rev. Robert Smith officiating.  Burial will be in the Cloverton Cemetery southeast of Bladen at 2:30 p.m. Visitation will be Friday, April 5, 2019 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home with family present.  Memorials may be given to Cloverton Cemetery or Redeemer Lutheran Church.  Private condolences may be sent to the family at www.mertenbutlermortuary.com.  Merten Butler Mortuary is in charge of arrangements. 

Darlene was born on July 29, 1928 on the farm near Bladen, Nebraska to Albert and Elizabeth Clark Fassler.  She attended Prairie Gem Elementary school and then graduated from Bladen High School in 1946. On June 23, 1946 she was united in marriage to Stanley Pavelka at the Episcopal Church in Hastings.  They made their home for all their married life on the family farm southeast of Bladen.  Stanley and Darlene were blessed with 4 children.  Darlene was a dedicated “Farm Wife” sharing in field work, raising livestock and the myriad of other duties that come with living on a farm.  She did all this while raising her children and caring for her husband before he passed away in September 1999.  During this time she was also a “behind the scene ‘Mrs. Santa” for over 20 years.  After Stan’s passing she continued to live on the farm she loved until recently when failing health prompted her move to the Blue Hill Care Center. 

Darlene was a member of the Redeemer Lutheran Church in Hastings.  Her greatest joy was her family and cooking for them all.  Many meals were served at her table including her family’s favorite….the dressing cooked with the turkey at holiday time.  Her delicious homemade Kolaches also brought smiles and filled hungry tummies. 

Preceding her in death are her parents, 2 brothers, Harold Fassler and Dale Fassler and 2 sisters, Elaine Meissner and Verna Reigle and a great grandson, August Pavelka;  Darlene is survived by her four children: Rosalyn (Ken) Piel of Arvada, CO, Mary (Richard) Johnson of Hastings, Sylvia Fink of Bladen and Stan Jr. (Sharon) of Bladen.  Nine grandchildren: Dan Piel, Seth Piel, Paul Johnson, Ann Johnson Reinhardt, Scott Fink, Amy Fink Berggren, Sara Pavelka Macklin, Adam Pavelka, and Michelle Pavelka Weber.  She is also survived by 23 great-grand children with number 24 on the way.

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