Oma Marek

Funeral services for Oma Marek, age 97, of Gregory, SD, were held on Monday, April 10, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home in Gregory, SD, with Pastor Russ Grim officiating. Music was provided by Bob Wik, vocalist, accompanied by Bette Fogel, pianist. Casket bearers were Oma’s grandchildren. Interment was in the Czech National Cemetery in Gregory, SD. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements. Oma Jean Lewis was born on November 26, 1925, to Guy and Anna Lewis at Paxton, SD. She was the youngest of five children. Oma attended country school through eighth grade, at which time she went to help on the family farm. On October 31, 1942, she married Joe Marek in Butte, NE. From this union, three daughters were born: Mary Ann, Joan, and Cindi. Together, they built a life in the Gregory area, farming until 1961, when they moved to town. Oma was a woman of many talents, working for Gregory High School as a lunch lady, and then as a clerk at Buche’s Grocery, while looking after her family and loved ones. In her later years, she worked with her son-in-law Jeff at Plains Printing. She had a talent for cooking and sewing, and poured her heart into every stitch of her crocheted blankets, which she gave as gifts. She and Joe celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary with a family get-together in October 2002.

On April 5, 2023, Oma passed away on what would have been Joe’s 105th birthday.

She was preceded in death by her husband Joe; daughter Mary Ann; parents; Guy and Anna; three sisters: Josephine (George) Dall, Luella (Lloyd) Shattuck, and Anna Mae (Vernon) Jamison; and brother Donald (Beneda) Lewis. Oma was the last surviving member of the Lewis family.

OmaissurvivedbyherdaughtersJoan(John)McNeilof DakotaDunes, SD, and Cindi (Jeff) Pochop of Pierre, SD; seven grandchildren:Teri (Paul) Bichler of Lindale, TX, Jerry (Andrea) Shaffer of Sergeant Bluff, IA, Jeff (Shawn) Carlson of Dakota Dunes, SD, Dan (Andrea) Carlson of Fremont, NE, Jen (fiancé Andrew Sanders) Peterson of Sioux City, IA, Kayla (Aaron) Riswold of Danville, PA, Garrett (Allison) Pochop of West Des Moines, IA; eleven great-grandchildren; two great-greatgrandchilden; son-in-law Gary Shaffer of Burke, SD; and many other family members and friends.