JOHN A. AND KATHRYN [KUCERA] FARNIK
John Arthur Farnik was born to Joseph and Helen Jerman Farnik on
living, in Ogden, Utah. John has three brothers, Joseph
Charles, Dennis D. (married Ruth Vonasek), Gary L. (married Theresa
Schrier), and one sister, Jo Ellen (married Curtis Miller).
John moved to Verdigre with his parents and older brothers Charles
and Dennis and sister Jo Ellen in November 1946. John and his family
lived with Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Farnik, Sr., in their home at 406 5th
Avenue. From there they moved to their new home at 606 Maple Street.
John attended Verdigre public School and graduated in 1964.
Following graduation he attended the University of South Dakota in
Vermillion for one year. John then returned to Verdigre and worked
at the Farmers’ Co-op until November of 1965 when he entered the
Army. In August, 1966, John was transferred to Vietnam where he was
stationed in Saigon, now known as Ho Chi Min City. He returned to
the United States in August of 1967. John went to work for the same
company as his brother, Joseph Charles (Chuck), between Wisner and
Wayne.
On December 30, 1967, John married Kathryn (Kathy) Mary Ann Kucera
in St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Verdigre, Nebraska.
Kathy was born living, to Clarence C. and Evelyn M. Kves
Kucera. She was the first of five children: Elizabeth (married
Darrel Walton), Charles E. (married Francine Bartos), Kenneth J.
(married Debra Dvorak), and Barbara. Kathy lived on her parents’
farm six miles west, one south and ˝ east of Verdigre. She attended
Pleasant Valley country school through the eighth grade. She then
attended Verdigre public School where she graduated in 1964.
In the fall of 1964 Kathy enrolled at Wayne State College. During
the following three summers, she worked in the Clerk of the District
Court’s Office, Lancaster County, Lincoln, Nebraska.
After their marriage, John and Kathy lived in Norfolk, Nebraska,
where Kathy finished her education at Wayne, graduating in April of
1968. John began working at General Wholesale until it burned down
on January 28, 1968. He then began working at Heckman Top and Body
in Norfolk. In the fall of 1968, Kathy began teaching in the Battle
Creek School system. While Kathy was teaching school, John attended
Norfolk Junior College for one year and Wayne State College for one
year. He then decided to begin work for Sears in Norfolk and in the
fall of 1971 accepted the position as manager of the Sears store in
York, Nebraska. They moved into their home in York in January of
1972.
In May of 1974, John and Kathy purchased Pat’s Bar in Verdigre from
Mr. Donald (Pat) Pittack and named it the “Bohemian Lounge,” better
known as “Bo’s.” They lived in the upstairs of the bar, which was
originally the Queen Hotel, until August of 1974 when they purchased
their present home at 610 Pine Street. In 1976, Kathy resumed
teaching at the Verdigre Public School until 1979. She now does
substitute teaching and works at the bar.
In September of 1981 John became ill with severe headaches. After a
short period of hospitalization in Yankton and Sioux Falls, he was
flown by air ambulance to Rochester, Minnesota, where he was a
patient in Saint Mary’s Hospital,
[pg 245 PHOTO John A. and Kathryn Farnik, John J. and Angela]
Mayo Clinic, until November, 1981. Due to an infection, a craniotomy
was performed and in April of 1982, John returned to Rochester where
he had a plate inserted.
John is a member of the Verdigre Improvement Club, a charter member
of the Verdigre Lions Club, a member of the American Legion Post
259, and a life-time member of the V.F.W.
John and Kathy are the parents of three children: John Joseph Farnik,
a senior at Verdigre Public School, Sarah Lynn Farnik, who died in
infancy, and Angela Kay Farnik, who is in the sixth grade at
Verdigre Public School.
-Submitted by Kathy Farnik
Pages
244, 245
