JOE F. AND HELEN [JERMAN] FARNIK
Joe F. Farnik was born July 19, 1910, on the farm at Pischelville to
Josef and Anna Dobrichovsky Farnik. His father was born February 8,
1884, in Vratislavka, Moravia, and died in Verdigre on March 30,
1970. His mother was born in Kolin, Czechoslovakia, July 23, 1876,
and died December 6, 1954. Joe attended school at District 53.
In 1930 Joe, his parents, brothers Frank, Arthur, and Henry, and
sisters Stazie (Mrs. Bennie Dryak) and Rosie (Mrs. Arthur Vesely)
moved from the farm to a new farm which they built 16 miles
northwest of Verdigre. These were hard times with drought and
grasshoppers, so Joe left the family farm in 1931 to live with his
half-brother, August Wirth in New Raymer, Colorado, thinking times
would be better there. In about six months, he received the sad news
that his brother, Arthur, had passed away at the age of 16. After a
year of farming with his brother, he had $90 in his pocket and
decided to go to Denver to barber school where he could surely make
more money. He worked his way through Barber College, working in a
cafeteria part time. Haircuts were 10 cents and shaves five cents.
After he graduated from the school, he served as an apprentice and
got 15 cents for a haircut and 10 cents for a shave. Joe finished
his apprenticeship in Eagle, Colorado, and then opened his own
barber shop in 1934 in Minturn, Colorado, where he received 50 cents
for haircuts and 25 cents for shaves.
He returned to Nebraska to be married on September 28, 1935, to
Helen Jerman in Pierce. Joe and his bride went to live in Minturn,
Colorado.
Helen Jerman was born may 26, 1917, to Charles and Antonia Sedlacek
Jerman in Spencer, Nebraska.In 1918, she with her parents, brothers,
and sisters, moved to a farm 5 ˝ miles west of Verdigre. Helen
attended country schools to the sixth grade at District No. 40. Then
she and her sister, Viola, were transferred to the Verdigre Public
School. Their brother Charles and sister Stella attended high school
there and the four rented rooms in a home during the school week so
they would not have to drive the distance every day. Helen graduated
from high school with the class of 1934. After graduation, she lived
on the farm for 1 ˝ years with her father, sister Viola, and brother
Charles. Her mother had died in a tragic accident when a gasoline
stove exploded and she was severely burned on September 30, 1930.
Helen was 13 years old at the time. Helen had three brothers: Frank,
a dentist in Bristol, Connecticut, who passed away in October of
1977. Ervin of Wayne, and Charles of Bloomfield, and three sisters:
Marie Chocholousek of Verdigre, Stella (Mrs. Alex Liska) of Wayne,
and Viola (Mrs. Harold Mitchell) of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. A
younger sister died at birth. Helen’s father, the son of Anton and
Marie Rezac Jerman, was born in Kamene Zehrovice, Czechoslovakia,
November 16, 1874, and died January 8, 1957, at the age of 82 years.
Her mother was born in New York on September 8, 1882, the daughter
of Matej and Anna Capek Sedlacek, and died September 30, 1930, at
the age of 48 years.
[pg 245 PHOTO Joe and Helen Farnik family - from left: Dennis,
Helen, Joe, Charles, JoEllen Miller, John and Gary]
Joe and Helen lived in Minturn for seven years and then moved to
Ogden, Utah, where Joe was employed at Hill Air Base as a government
patrolman during the war. When the war was over and his job ended,
they moved to Fruita, Colorado, and Joe went back to barbering in
Grand Junction. Verdigre seemed like a good place to raise their
family and after all it was “home” where their families lived, so
they made the big decision to leave the beautiful mountains of
Colorado and bring their children to Verdigre. They are the parents
of five children: J. Charles, Fort Worth, Texas; Dennis D. married
Ruth Vonasek and they live in Arlington, Texas; JoEllen married
Curtis Miller and they reside in Norfolk; John A. married Kathryn
Kucera and they live in Verdigre, and Gary L. married Theresa
Schrier and they are making their home in Norfolk. Charles and
Dennis were born in Colorado, JoEllen and John were born in Utah,
and Gary in Creighton. All four sons were active in high school
sports and all were in the military.
They have 12 grandchildren: Donald E. Farnik; Rebecca, Gregory and
Beth Farnik (Jach); John J. and Angela Farnik: Elissa, Amy, Curtis,
and Suzanne Miller; and Nathan and Neil Farnik. The infant daughter
of John and Kathy died in November of 1973.
Joe resumed his barbering career and in 1953 purchased his own
barber shop which he operated until his retirement in 1979. In 1960,
the Farniks opened the Laundromat which they maintained until 1979.
In the fall of 1979, the Farniks had the trip of a lifetime when
they went to Germany to visit their son Gary, who was in the army,
and his wife Theresa, and some relatives in Czechoslovakia.
Joe and Helen celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on September
28, 1985.
They are members of the United Methodist Church. Joe is a member of
the Masonic Lodge 87 AF & AM. He was chairman of the Knox County
Democrats. Helen is a member of the Order of Eastern Star, the
United Methodist Women, and a charter member of the Verdigre Woman’s
Club. She worked as head cook in the Verdigre Public School from
1960-1964. She was instrumental in starting the public library and
served as one of the first librarians. She enjoys sewing, quilting,
and cooking - she was champion kolach baker in 1970. Joe is an avid
sportsman, enjoying both hunting and fishing. He is also a licensed
taxidermist.
-Submitted by Mrs. Joe (Helen) Farnik
Pages
245, 246
