Mary Pecinovsky

Mary Pecinovsky was born on August 15, 1927, in Howard County near Protivin, Iowa, to Leonard J. and Ludmilla “Lula” (Praska) Pecinovsky. She was the oldest of 4 children. She attended parochial school in Protivin and graduated in May of 1946.  Mary was united in marriage to Robert W. Pecinovsky on September 10, 1946, at Holy Trinity Church in Protivin, IA. They made their home on a farm one mile north of Protivin where she was a hard-working farm wife--milking cows, raising chickens, canning vegetables from her big garden and raising a large family.  Mary was a lifetime member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Protivin, IA. and the Rosary Society.

In 1968 Mary got her LPN nursing degree through Area One Vocational Technical School in Calmar, Iowa, being in the first LPN class to graduate from there.  She also got a Nursing Home Administrator’s License through a Des Moines Area Community College. She worked in various nursing homes in the area and also for private individuals.

She became a Master Gardener in the 1990’s and helped beautify downtown Cresco, IA. and the Howard County fairgrounds.  She was well known for her beautiful flower and vegetable gardens, and donated both flowers and veggies to various community causes.  Mary enjoyed belonging to a fun group of local Protivin women, “The Domestic Executives” for many years.  She also was a member of Protivin’s American Legion Women’s Auxiliary, as she had 3 sons and 3 grandsons in the military and was very proud of their service to our country.

Mary was a Czech kolache baker extra-ordinaire!  In an average year she baked and sold over 2,750 dozen kolaches, and 850 dozen rolls (rohlike) from her home, which does not include the ones she donated to funerals, family and friends. She also played a big part in helping bake kolaches and rohlike for Protivin’s annual Czech Days.  She entered the Howard County Fair’s Kolache Baking Contest only twice (1989 & 2000) and won both times.  In 2004 she won the “People’s Choice Award” at the National Czech and Slovak Museum’s “Kolache Bake Off” in Cedar Rapids, IA. Mary was a multi-talented hard worker with a kind and tender heart for her family, friends, community and a few dogs, too. In her later years she enjoyed Bingo and especially Scrabble, and usually was “The Winner!” After playing a game she frequently asked, “Do you have time for another game?”  Her last Scrabble game was just a week before her death at the Accura HealthCare center in Cresco, though she needed a little help due to macular degeneration. Mary passed away very peacefully at the age of 96 on Friday, April 19th at Accura following a brief illness, with several family members around her.  During her lifetime she found great joy in doing for others.

She is survived by her sister, Diane Stejskal of Oelwein, IA;  her 9 children—Sylvester (Deswita) of Merced, CA.;  Clair (Marilyn) of Cresco, IA.;  Lois (Ken) Zajicek of Ossian, IA.;  Theresa Coleman of Portland, OR.;  Michael (friend, Carol of Cresco) of Protivin, IA.;  Christopher (Lori) of Mabel, MN.;  Peter of Marktredwitz, Germany;  Cathy (Mike) Newman of Caledonia, MN.;   Bobby (Lori) of Auburndale, FL;  20 grandchildren;  28 great-grandchildren;  a sister-in-law, Mildred Peterson of Stewartville, MN; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Robert in 1999 and his parents; a son, Steven, in 1965; a sister and her husband, Ann and Leonard Recker of Alta Vista, IA; a brother and his wife, Leonard and Rosie Pecinovsky of near Protivin, IA.; a brother-in-law, Gary Stejskal of Oelwein, IA.; two sisters-in-law, Sylvia Pecinovsky of Cedar Rapids, IA. and Irma Meyer of West Concord, MN.; and a son-in-law, Dennis Coleman of Portland, OR.

Memorial Mass for Mary will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, May 3, 2024, at Holy Trinity Parish in Protivin, IA, with Fr. Nick Radloff officiating.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the start of the service from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. at the church. Burial will take place in the Holy Trinity Cemetery.  Per Mary's wishes, there will not be a funeral luncheon held after the service.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given in Mary's name.

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