(Veteran Flag)

Valasek, Melvin Age 68 Of Bennington, NE. Preceded in death by wife Marsha and daughter Dawn. Survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Mike and Darla of Bennington and Tom and Lana of Blair, Nebraska; 4 grandchildren, Matt, Maggie, Luke and Henry; fiancée Deann Zens of Bellevue, NE; brother and sister-in-law Jerry and Kathy Valasek of Omaha, and sister and brother-in-law Dorothy and Pat Adley of Omaha. VISITATION Noon to 7pm Sunday with family receiving friends from 5-7pm at the funeral home in Elkhorn with Wake Service at 7pm. MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL 10:30am Monday at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Elkhorn. Interment Prairie View Cemetery. Memorials to the American Legion Scholarships or American Cancer Society. Condolences to www.reichmuthfuneralhomes.com REICHMUTH FUNERAL HOMES 21901 West Maple 402-289-2222

Funeral Leaflet

Portrait of Mel, including aerial farm home photo in funeral leaflet (the obituary speaks of him adding small tracts of farm land to his property as he could)

In Loving Remembrance of Melvin J. Valasek

Birth June 28, 1947 Columbus, Nebraska; Death January 26, 2016 Omaha, Nebraska

Vigil Service: Reichmuth Funeral Home, Elkhorn, Nebraska Sunday, January 31, 2016 ~ 7 pm. Funeral Mass: St. Patrick’s Catholic Church, Elkhorn, Nebraska Monday, February 1, 2016 ~ 10:30 am. Priest: Reverend Rodney Adams. Organist: Evelyn Rezac. Soloist: Michael Willis

Pallbearers: Kevin Valasek, Colin Adley, Andy Theis, Tim Sass, Jim Dunleavy, Steve Dunleavey.

Interment: Prairie View Cemetery, Washington, Nebraska

Military Honors Conducted by American Legion Post #266, Bennington, Nebraska and Active Duty Members of the US National Guard.

Memorials are suggested to American Legion #266 Scholarship Fund or the American Cancer Society.

Obituary printed in Funeral Leaflet

Melvin Joseph Valasek was born on June 28, 1947 in Columbus, Nebraska to Frank and Loretta (Kropatsch) Valasek. He grew up in Omaha where he attended Blessed Sacrament Catholic grade school and graduated from Omaha North High School in 1965. As a young boy, Mel enjoyed fishing and supported himself with a paper route. Following high school, Mel worked for Union Pacific for a year before he was drafted and served in the United States Army as a Medic for two years, including 11 months overseas in Vietnam.

Mel married Marsha Garafolo on October 17, 1970 at St. Bernadette’s Catholic Church in Omaha, Nebraska and they were blessed with three children: Dawn, Mike and Tom. Mel and Marsha raised their family on the acreage on the south edge of Bennington.

After returning from the service, Mel went to work for OPPD in Omaha and enjoyed a thirty-plus year career with steady advancement, retiring as a manager. All during his working career, Mel farmed around Bennington, adding small tracts of farm land whenever he could. After his retirement, Mel devoted his full attention to farming, traveling and restoring tractors. Mel loved to camp, starting with a simple pop-up camper and steadily upgrading to the current large fifth wheel that he used to travel about the United States, enjoying the local flavor of our country, especially the state and county fairs. Winter vacations would include trips to Mexico and the Dominican Republic. Mel loved his grandchildren and enjoyed following their activities and held a special place in his heart for his faithful dog “Ellie”. He was a hardworking, caring man with passion for family and community service. Mel was active in the American Legion Post #266, the Douglas County Farm Bureau and gave decades of service on the Bennington Planning Board. Most recently, he was serving as treasurer of the Farm Bureau and Vice Commander of the Legion and chairman of the new Veteran’s Memorial in Bennington. Mel was a simple man who enjoyed a steak and potato dinner, RFD-TV and reruns of Gunsmoke. Mel will be remembered as a kind, soft-hearted Christian man who was fair and honest. Mel has enjoyed the last 9 years with his fiancée and travel partner, Deann Zens.

Mel passed away on Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at the Lakeside Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska at the age of 68 years, 6 months and 29 days. He was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Loretta, wife Marsha and daughter Dawn. Mel is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law Mike and Darla of Bennington and Tom and Lana of Blair, Nebraska; four grandchildren: Matt, Maggie, Luke and Henry; fiancée Deann Zens of Bellevue; brother and sister-in-law Jerry and Kathy Valasek of Omaha and sister and brother-in-law Dorothy and Pat Adley of Omaha.

~~~ Obituary and funeral leaflet courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings and funeral leaflets on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska ~~~

FindaGrave memorial # 157485468