Obituary of Marie Josephine Knezek Pastusek

Marie Josephine Pastusek passed away Monday, July 3, 2017, at the age of 98.Marie was born on September 17, 1918, at the Knezek family farm in Archer County, to John Peter and Mary Krenek Knezek. She attended Kickapoo grade school for two years until it was consolidated with the Westover School District in 1926, where she and five brothers attended. Marie graduated as valedictorian of the Westover High School in 1936. She attended Draughans Business College and was employed by the Texas Highway Department in Wichita Falls.On September 5, 1939, Marie married her high school sweetheart, Wesley Raymond “Pat” Pastusek, son of Frank and Anna Trojcak in Megargel. They established their first home in Henrietta where Pat was working for Texas Electric (now TXU). The family also lived in Archer City and Henrietta before Pat was assigned by TXU to Iowa Park where the couple bought a small farm and built a home to raise their family. Marie and Pat built this house from bricks they recycled from the Westover School.In Iowa Park, Marie worked for the high school, the Chamber of Commerce, Wichita County Fair and as a Notary for the County Tax Assessor. In 1965 Marie and Pat moved their family to Fort Worth when Pat was again reassigned by TXU. After moving to Fort Worth, Marie was employed by the Retail Merchants Association until she retired.Pat and Marie welcomed their first child, Wesley Eugene, in 1940 and endured his devastating loss two years later. They were blessed with six more children, four boys and two girls.Bob Pastusek graduated from W.F. George H.S. in Iowa Park and The Air Force Academy. A retired Colonel, he owns Homes Tucker Intl and recently relocated from Arlington, VA. to Fort Worth. Mike Pastusek also graduated from Iowa Park and played football at the University of Texas, Arlington (UTA). He and his sons own four businesses in Fort Worth. Frances Pastusek Findley (deceased) was the first of the four younger children to graduate from Eastern Hills H.S. and UTA, and owned American Connectors in Fort Worth until her death. Twins, Edward Pastusek and Betty Pastusek Phipps studied at UTA where Betty graduated in 1992. Ed owned Horizon Tech Industries, XS Sight Systems and Gunook Products in Fort Worth until his death. Betty retired from Custom Building Products in Grand Prairie and travels extensively with her husband. Paul Pastusek, the youngest of Marie’s children, a graduate of Texas A&M and the University of Houston, resides in Houston and works for Exxon Mobil as a senior drilling engineer.In 1979, Pat’s brother and sister in law died leaving three school age children. Marie and Pat took care of Bruce, Lewis and Stanley as their own until they were grown.Marie and Pat were members of St. Rita Catholic Church for 50 years where she was a member of the Garden Club and the Eastside YMCA.Marie and Pat spent their retirement in Fort Worth surrounded by family and friends. They kept the farm in Iowa Park where she gardened and canned. Marie was a talented homemaker and seamstress. She made her daughters’ beaded wedding dresses, grandchildrens’ clothing and costumes, toys, Christmas ornaments, Christmas pajamas, aprons and more than 100 quilts — all of which were gifted to delighted family and friends. Their 60th wedding anniversary in 1999 was a quilt show of her magnificent creationsMarie was a wife for 66 years, a Mother to 7 children, a Grandmother to 13, a Great Grandmother to 22, a Sister to 7, and a friend to countless others. She often reminded us that her proudest accomplishment was raising her children. Those of us who knew and loved her will forever be blessed by her life, and her spirit will live forever in our hearts.Marie was preceded in death by her husband, Wesley Raymond (Pat) who died in 2005; children, Frances Findley, two sons, Edward and Wesley Eugene Pastusek and nephews, Richard and Steve Knezek and Bruce Pastusek; grandchildren, Hope Elizabeth Pastusek; sisters and brothers, Edward Knezek, Ernest Knezek, Janie Knezek Vacker Vacek, Leo George Knezek, and Raymond Benjamin KnezekSurvivors: one brother, Robert Knezek; Children, Col (USAF-Ret) Bob and wife Judy Pastusek, Mike and wife Stephanie Pastusek, Betty and husband Olin Phipps, Paul and wife Sharon Pastusek; daughter-in-law, Mary Pastusek; son-in-law Steve Findley; grandchildren, Kim Phelps, Catherine Michelle Nash and husband Chuck Stanley, Ron Findley, Kristy and husband Shawn Cowan, Kellie and husband Mike Brunn, Jon Pastusek, Jason and wife Martina Mathews, Chris Findley, John Wesley and wife Anna Pastusek, Robert and wife Lauren Findley, David and wife Amanda Pastusek, Daniel Pastusek, Matthew Pastusek; great grandchildren, Zoe, Wyatt and Sunny Phelps, Justin and Mandy Nash, Chase and Camy Cowan, Alexa, Clara and Mila Brunn, Pimmy, Ethan, Max Marie, Joshua, Dante and Dexter Findley, Sophia, Ava, Capri, Fiona and Daphne Pastusek.