Frank Joe “Popo” Pekar

Frank Joe “Popo” Pekar, 80, peacefully passed away amidst the love of his family Thursday, March 16. Frank was born September 9, 1936 in Shiner to John Paul Pekar and Matilda Roller Pekar. Frank married Judah Ann Zumwalt on September 19, 1959 in Gonzales. He was a member of St. James Catholic Church. Frank had honorably served his country in the United States Navy.

Frank grew up in the Glaze City area of Gonzales County where his family owned a farm. Frank was one of 10 children and learned very early in life the meaning and rewards of hard work. Along with daily chores that come with farm living, Frank and his siblings helped their father put in fields of cotton and in time pick and chop cotton at its maturity. Now on his own Frank remained an independent farmer and worked for Gonzales Processing, Holly Farms and Tyson Foods and later Kasper Wire Works.

Frank maintained a productive vegetable garden and always included a few stalks of cotton, in part as a reminder of where he came from and certainly as a visual aid to share with his grandchildren. He enjoyed deer hunting but that is where his love for the sport ended, he left all the processing up to his wife along with hogs and calves and the processing of chickens was a family affair, excluding himself. Frank dearly loved eating the end product of all this processing and loved even more catching whoever sitting next to him looking away during meals, so he could pile the bones, sausage casing and bread crust on their plate as he continued enjoying his meal.

Frank was a fun loving, jovial joke and story teller. Frank was a master domino player in his family’s estimation; he could clearly tell what dominoes each player held in their hands and stump his opponents accordingly. He loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved his family so much that shortly before the birth of his first grandchild, Frank quit drinking, smoking and chewing tobacco, not an easy endeavor for someone who enjoyed these vices to the detriment of his health. Family and living to see his family grow in number and love meant more to Frank than anything in the world.

Frank loved his catholic faith and cherished his relationship with God.

He loved many things, like calling people by any name which was not their given name; he loved making his homemade mustang grape wine, he never drank any of it, but enjoyed the process of making the wine which required his daughters to stomp the grapes with their bare feet leaving their feet stained and stinging. He loved his wood burning stoves in his shed, having his head scratched by his children and grandchildren and most of all Frank loved his wife of 57 years. Frank lived as an example to his family, he was firm but loving, hardworking but always had time for family and he was always honest in word and deed. Frank died holding the hand of his loving wife while managing to reassure his love for all with a final smile and a loving gaze into her eyes and the eyes of each of his daughters before letting go and letting God direct his path home.

Frank J. Pekar is survived by his wife, Judah Ann “Judy” Pekar of Gonzales, daughters and sons-in-law, Joyce Marie Downey of Gonzales, Ruth Ann and Kent Allison of Brock, Dorothy Kay and Raymie Zella of Gonzales, Linda Diane and Glenn Glass of Gonzales, brother, Edward Pekar of Shiner, grandchildren, Brooke Krueger, Taryn Mertz and husband Cody, Jeremy Krueger and wife Morgan, Braxton Zella, Karli Jo Downey, Danyelle Glass, Zachery Zella, Keaton Glass and Kobey Glass, great-grandchildren, Madilyn, Kate, Clair, Maddox and Tilden. He was preceded in death by his parents, sisters, Mary Jalufka, Rosie Malatek, Tillie Jalufka, Agnes Malatek, and Christina Kocian, brothers, John, Joe and Daniel Pekar.

A rosary will be recited at 7 p.m. Monday, March 20 in Seydler-Hill Funeral Home. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Tuesday, March 21 in St. James Catholic Church with Fr. Paul Raaz as celebrant. Interment will follow in St James Cemetery. Pallbearers: Bobby Pakebusch, Jim Russell, Louis Balderas, Jr., Raul Contreras, Jr., Jeff Wishert and Mark Hassell. Honorary Pallbearers will be his grandsons Jeremy, Braxton, Zachery, Keaton and Kobey and Dr. Commie Hisey. The family will receive friends from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday evening at Seydler-Hill Funeral Home. Memorials may be made to the Leukemia Research Foundation, 191 Waukegan Road, Ste 105, Northfield, IL 60093 or through their website www.allbloodcancers.org/donate or St. James Catholic Church, 417 N. College St., Gonzales, Texas 78629. Services are under the care and direction of Seydler-Hill Funeral Home.