Pelagia Shimek, 99

Oct. 11, 1920 —

July 12, 2020

 

DECORAH - Pelagia Shimek, age 99 of Decorah, Iowa passed away on Sunday, July 12, 2020 at Aase Haugen Senior Services in Decorah.

A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Thursday, July 16, 2020, at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Decorah with Rev. Donald Hertges presiding. Burial was in Calvary Cemetery in Cresco, Iowa.

Pelagia was born on Oct. 11, 1920 on a farm in Howard County, Iowa, the daughter of Wenzel and Mary (Urban) Shimek. She was baptized and confirmed at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Lourdes, Iowa. She attended rural school, two years of high school at Our Lady of Lourdes and graduated from Cresco High School in 1939 with a Normal Training Certificate. 

Pelagia taught several years in rural schools and then graduated from Iowa State Teachers College, (UNI) in Cedar Falls, Iowa. She then taught in the primary grades for several years in various locations around Iowa. 

Pelagia became a parish housekeeper at Assumption Parish and taught kindergarten when Msgr. Vernon Peters was pastor. When he was transferred to St. Francis Parish in Ossian, Iowa, she accompanied him as the parish housekeeper. Upon his retirement, Pelagia took care of him at his home in Harpers Ferry, Iowa until his death. 

She moved to Decorah in 1990 and was a member of St. Benedict Parish and the Rosary Society and volunteered at St. Benedict School and at Aase Haugen Retirement Home as an RAC member for many years. Pelagia enjoyed knitting, needlework, sewing, reading, traveling and having conversations with people.

Pelagia is survived by nieces and nephews, Arletta (Wendel) O’Hearn, Alan (Joyce) Wendl and David Wendel, and extended family, Mary Ann Gloe and Mary Daley.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Wenzel and Mary (Urban) Shimek; sisters, Gertrude (John) Wendel, Gabriella Shimek and Ursula (Gene) Lenard; brother, Paul (Valborg) Shimek; and nieces and nephews, Dr. Maurice Shimek, Lorayne (George) Stasney, Mary (James) Thorn and Elmarie Wendel.