|
Shiner Gazette 25 Feb 1965 Rev. Leo E. Pesek Rites Held Monday The Rev. Leo E. Pesek, 48 years, one month and 11 days, passed away Friday, February 19, 1965 at Carleswell A. F. B. Fort Worth. An Air Force chaplain, with the rank of Major, for the past twelve years, he had returned to his base after a visit to Yoakum the weekend of February 13. A Solemn Requiem Mass was offered by a classmate, the Rev. Benedict Pruski of St. Hedwig's Church at 10 o'clock Monday, February 22 in St. Joseph's Catholic Church. Rev. Pruski was assisted by Msgr. Roy Rihn of St. Pius X Church of San Antonio; Rev. Oswald Kahlich as deacon and Rev. Robert Schmidt as master of ceremonies. Msgr. Rihn delivered the sermon and Bishop Stephen A. Leven also spoke briefly and conducted the cemetery service. Burial with full military rites was in St. Joseph's Cemetery. The body was brought to Buffington Funeral Home Chapel, Yoakum, where rosary was recited Saturday night. Sunday at 2 p.m. they body was taken to the St. Joseph's Catholic Church where rosary was recited by the parish at 7:30 p.m. The body remained in state at the church until Requiem Mass. Clergy recited the Office of the Dead in St. Joseph's Church at 9:30 a.m. Born at Sweet Home on January 8, 1917, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Emil Pesek, he received his education at local schools and St. John's Seminary. Ordained the priesthood in 1942, he served as assistant in San Antonio, at Weimar, Praha and became pastor at Koerth in June 1947 where he remained for two years. He was appointed pastor at Boerne and Missions in May of 1949. In the fall of 1952 he resigned his pastorship and entered the U. S. Air Force as chaplain, fulfilling his wishes. There he served for twelve years, part of the time in the U. S. and for a number of years in Germany, Alaska and Japan. Among his seminary classmates are pastor Rev. John Matocha of Yoakum, Rev. Oswald, Kahlich and the mass celebrants named above. Surviving are his father, Emil M. Pesek of Yoakum; three brothers, Charles and Ernest, both of Victoria; and James of San Antonio. Four sisters, Mrs. Alois Hermes of Yoakum, Mrs. Lester Parsons of San Antonio, Mrs. Vicky Wilson of Houston and Mrs. Howard Brown of Hourna, La., also survive. His mother, nee Chaloupka, died February 25, 1944. Posted by Matt Cross
|