Nancy Pekarek

Funeral services for Nancy Louise Pekarek, 82, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, under the direction of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.    

Mrs. Pekarek passed away peacefully in her home on January 23, 2024.  

She was born November 15, 1941, at Chicago, Illinois, to Edwin and Lillian Sowinski.  On September 12, 1964, she was united in marriage to Robert Pekarek, who was her soul mate and love of her life.  Nancy was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.  She graduated from Nazareth Academy in 1959.  After marriage, she was a stay at home wife and mother of their five children.  She then served as a nurse assistant at St. Francis Hospital, Mountain View, Missouri, for several years.  After moving to the West Plains area, she drove a school bus for 28 years for the West Plains R-7 School District.  Nancy enjoyed spending time with her husband, doing ceramics, camping, boating and being with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Nancy is survived by her husband, Robert Pekarek; their five children, Marie Orchard and husband, Duane, Springfield, Missouri, Chris Pekarek and wife, Sarah, Poplar Bluff, Missouri, Sharon Henry and husband, Steven, Vinita, Oklahoma, Robyn Vanatter and husband, Todd, West Plains and Jason Pekarek, West Plains; her grandchildren, Amanda Estes and husband, Randall, Aaron Orchard and wife, Holly, Austin Pekarek, George White, Jr., Haley Skelton and husband, Donald, Joey Mitchell, Ashlynn Vanatter, Chris and Evan Pekarek and Haylee Connor; nine great-grandchildren; one sister, Susan Sowinski, La Grange, Illinois; one brother, Raymond Sowinski and wife, Janice, Berwyn, Illinois; and many nieces and nephews. 

Her parents, one daughter, Terese Marie, one sister, Marilyn and one brother-in-law, Roger Lasowski, preceded her in death.  

Visitation services will be held from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m., Monday, at Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.  Burial will be at Oak Lawn Cemetery.  Memorial contributions may be made to St. Mary’s Catholic Church and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO  65775.