William Devere Martinek

1927 - 1989  (61 years)

• Name	William Devere Martinek
  Nickname	Bill
  Born	30 Mar 1927	Rossville, Shawnee County, Kansas
  Gender	Male
  Died	26 Feb 1989	Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas
  Buried	2 Mar 1989	Rossville Cemetery, Rossville, Shawnee County, Kansas
  Person ID	I4654	Rossville
  Last Modified	3 Aug 2019

  
  

  Father	William M Martinek,   b. 5 Aug 1889, Rossville, Shawnee County, Kansas ,   d. 14 Sep 1981, Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas  (Age 92 years)
  Mother	Agnes A Hromada Martinek,   b. 12 Sep 1905, Rossville, Shawnee County, Kansas ,   d. 24 Mar 1994, Rossville, Shawnee County, Kansas  (Age 88 years)
  Married	8 Sep 1926	Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas
  Documents » Slide Show		Marriage- Hromada, Agnes-Martinek, William 1 See #2 for information
  		Marriage- Hromada, Agnes-Martinek, William 2 Bill and Agnes Hromada Martinek were married Sept 8, 1926.
  		Anniversary- Martinek, William and Agnes William Martineks to Celebrate Golden Wedding Anniversary Mr. and Mrs. William Martinek will be the honored guests at an open house celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary Sunday, August 8, in their home at Silver Lake. Friends and relatives are invited to attend from 2 till 4 p.m. The couple requests that no gifts be presented. Hosts will be their children, Mr. and Mrs. Bill Martinek, Rossville; Mr. and Mrs. Bob Martinek, Las Cruces, N.M.; Mr. and Mrs. Don Redmon, Topeka; and Mr. and Mrs. Orville Martinek, Silver Lake; and their thirteen grandchildren. Mr. and Mrs. Martinek were married September 8, 1926 in Topeka, and have lived in the Silver Lake-Delia Community all their married life.
  Family ID	F1927	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Helen Marie Richardson Martinek,   b. 28 Jun 1927, Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas ,   d. 22 Sep 2009, Rossville, Shawnee County, Kansas  (Age 82 years)
  Married	6 Jul 1946	Vancouver, Clark County, Washington
  Children	+ 1. Dennis E Martinek + 2. Duane Martinek   3. Alan Dean Martinek + 4. Larry Wayne Martinek,   b. 7 Sep 1950, Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas   5. Sheila Marie Martinek,   b. 14 Feb 1967
  Last Modified	27 Dec 2019 13:11:25
  Family ID	F1928	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Documents » Slide Show		Obituary- Martinek, William D. 1 William Devere Martinek William Devere Martinek, 61, Rossville, died Sunday, Feb 26, 1989, at a Topeka hospital. Mr. Martinek owned and operated Rossville Truck & Tractor. He spent more than 30 years in the farm equipment business and was an International Harvester dealer and later became a dealer for Case I-H farm equipment. He was born March 30, 1927, in Rossville, the son of William M. and Agnes A. Hromada Martinek. He spent most of his life in Rossville. Mr. Martinek served in the U.S. Army from May 13, 1946 until June 6, 1947. He was a member of the United Methodist Church, Hesperian Lodge No. 111, AF&AM, Jimmie Lillard Post No. 31 of the American Legion, and the Lions Club, all in Rossville. Mr. Martinek also was a member of Moose Lodge No.555 in Topeka. He was married to Helen M Richardson July 6, 1946 in Vancouver, Wash. She survives. Other survivors include four sons, Dennis Martinek, Silver Lake, Larry Martinek, Duane Martinek and Alan Martinek, all of Rossville; a daughter, Shelia Martinek, Rossville; his mother, Agnes A. Martinek, Rossville; two brothers, Robert E. Martinek, Las Cruces, N.M., and Orville Martinek, Silver Lake; a sister, Louise Redmon, Emmett; and seven grandchildren. Services will be 11 a.m. Thursday at Parker-Price Mortuary. Burial will be in Rossville Cemetery. Mr. Martinek will lie in state after 10 a.m. Wednesday at the mortuary where relatives and friends will meet from 7 to 8 p.m. Wednesday. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 2913 Plass Court, 66611, or St. Francis Hospital Oncology Department, 1700 W. 7th, 66606.
  		Funeral card- Martinek, William D. 2 In Memory Of WILLIAM DEVERE MARTINEK BORN March 30, 1927 Rossville, Kansas ENTERED INTO REST February 26. 1989 Topeka, Kansas SERVICES The Parker-Price Chapel 11:00 a.m. Thursday March 2, 1989 MINISTER Reverend Charles Kallaus Rossville Un. Methodist Church MUSIC “In The Garden” “How Great Thou Art” SOLOIST John Oathout ORGANIST Richard M. Gayhart HONORARY CASKET BEARERS Eugene Sittenauer Joe Henry Vincent Bertels Wayne Symons Nolan McGinnis Shorty Martin CASKET BEARERS Luther McClain Bill Hesse Dennis Keller Roland Parr Ron Monhollon Burns Hesse INTERMENT Rossville Cemetery Rossville, Kansas
  		Obituary- Martinek, William D. 3 In Memory February 26, 1989 WM. D. MARTINEK One year ago, God did what He thought best. He came and stood beside you and whispered, “come and rest.” You bade no one last farewell, not even said goodbye; You were gone before we knew it, and only God knows why. May you always walk in sun- shine and God’s love around you grow. for the happiness you gave us, no one will ever know. It broke our hearts to lose you, but you didn’t go alone, for part of us went with you, the day God called you home. We miss you and love you, Your wife, Helen, and children
  		Birth- Martinek, William Devere Mr. and Mrs. William Martinek of Delia announce the birth of a son, March 31.
  		Obituary- Martinek, William D. 4 In Memory of William D. Martinek "My husband says Bill was the fairest, most pleasant, and most honest dealer he ever did business with," read the handwritten note on a sympathy card sent to Mrs. Bill Martinek and her family. This feeling of trust and admiration was shared by all those who knew him, including his competitors in the farm equipment business. The mass of beautiful floral tributes, the deluge of sympathy cards and letters, and the outpouring of other expressions of love and concern are all evidence of the respect people had for this hard-working, long-time owner of Rossville Truck and Tractor. William Devere Martinek was only 61 years old when he died on February 26, 1989. Born in Silver Lake, he and his brother Bob went through school in the same class. They played side by side on the football, basketball, and baseball teams, but Bill was the victor in the race for Student Council president. The brothers also shared a '35 Dodge which had two engines ... because one was always being worked on. A graduate of Silver Lake High School in 1945, Bill entered the Army; took basic training at Vancouver, Wash.; and then was stationed on Leyte Island in the Philippines. He found time, however, to marry a Topeka girl, Helen Richardson, on July 6, 1946, in Vancouver. The young couple came back to Kansas after his Army stint, and Bill began "on-the-job training” in Norville Wingate’s Rossville Farm Store. In 1957, Martinek and George Stadler bought the business and renamed it Rossville Truck and Tractor Company, Inc. Martinek became sole owner in 1979. The company advertisement in the 1971 publication of Rossville's 100th anniversary brochure is indicative of Bill's quiet, unassuming way. In the roster of employee names, Bill’s is the final signature. Martinek served two terms on the Rossville City Council, and was a member of the United Methodist Church, the Masonic Lodge, the American Legion Post, and the Lions Club. In recognition of his many years of service to the Rossville community, the City dedicated the August 1988 Tall Com Festival in his honor. He and Helen rode in style in a beautifully refurbished 1910 chain-driven International Harvester vehicle. It was rough riding, but I dare say Bill enjoyed it. Martinek was recognized as one of the Top Ten I-H dealers for the Kansas City district in 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969. He saw many changes and improvements in farm machinery during those 30 years, and sometimes regretted he hadn’t started a collection of models on International Harvester and Case I-H equipment years ago. Life wasn't all work, however. He and Helen bowled regularly and have a box of bowling trophies from team victories. He liked sports of all kinds, and he loved to fish. He and his brother Orville loaded up their fishing poles almost every weather-decent Sunday. "He was not one for being in the limelight," Helen and the children agreed. "He did for people without expecting in return. He enjoyed the business and being with the farmers. It was his first love." The Martinek sons grew up with Rossville Truck and Tractor, and they will carry on the business their father loved. The sympathy of the entire community goes out to Helen, the children, his mother, and to all the others who will miss Bill Martinek so much.