Věstník (West, Tex.), Vol. 54, No. 28, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 13, 1966 Page: 4 of 32
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4
issue of Life magazíne. One large pic-
ture showed domino players at Janak’s
tavern in Sweet Home, showing several
familiar faces. The caption reads: “Old
men gather at Janak’s Taveni for
dominoes in the forgotten littie town
of Sweet Home, once a terminál on the
Chisholrn Trail and named by home-
sick cowboys.”
The men shown in the picture are
John Sehovajsa, Emil Stastny, Jim
Orsak, Herman Wendt, Bert Mitchell,
and Mr. and Mrs. Janak, the owners
of the tavern. -
The Sweet Home picture appeared
as part of a storv about Texas, that
featured several famous sights around
Texas, the LBJ Raneh, the Astrodome
in Houston, various sports — and dom-
ino playing in Sweet Home. —Editor.
---SPJST-
* LETTERS
Kenedy, Texas
Dear Editor:
Brother H. W. Mareak came to Ken-
edy from Victoria County and estah-
lished his business 7 y2 milcs west of
Kenedy on Juiy 15, 1916. He did busi-
ness in a two-story frame střiictiire
without electrieity, water, or heat. He
He worked seven days a week and long
hours. For many years his merchan-
dise v/as hauled by wagon ověř rough
unpaved roads. Many things, such as
cořfee, sugař, beans, and lařd were sold
in bulk. Coffee sold for 10c a pouncl, or
3 lbs. fot 25 ccnts. People had tlieir
own coffee grinders. Brother Mareak
H. W. MARCAK
VĚSTNÍK
experienced good and bad years. Dur-
ing the drouth of 1917 and the de-
pression years eggs sold for 5 cents a
dozen. Another severe drouth came in
the 1950’s.
In 1938 the frame building was re-
plaeed by a more modem tile building,
which had electrieity. He was joined
in the business by Mrs. Marealťs son,
Marvin, and wife Ann 25 years ago on
Jan. lst 1941, and they are with him
at the present time.
A very sad thing occurred on Feb.
15, 1960, when the building and its con-
tents were completely destroyed by
fire. Brother Mareak, at that time,
had doně business in the same location
for 44 years. On Wednesday of the
same week he located on 181 South
Sunset iSitrip, in Kenedy, and was open
for business on Saturday, Feb. 20th of
the same week. Brother Mareak is 76
year old and still wořks seven days a
wreek and enjoys every day of it. His
philosophy has always been “quality
Products and friendlv service.”
Brother Mareak, as busy as he al-
ways is, still found time for many
civic activities. He is a charter member
of SPJST Lodge No. 127, Kenedy, and
served as president and secretary for
many years. He has attended many
SPJST Conventicns. He helped choose
the location and helped pian the
SPJST Rest Home at Taylor; served as
chairman of the board of directors,
and is now vice chairman. He also
helped pian the Karnes County Hos-
pital, located at Karnes City, Texas,
and served on the board of directors
for ten years; also served as chairman
of the Board of Associated Grocers,
San Antonio, and is a member of the
local ehamber of commerce.
Brother Mareak also fbuftd time for
some tra.vel. He attended Franklin D.
Roosevelťs mauguration in Washing-
ton, D.C. in 1932, a throe-month tour
of Europe in 1938, a trip to the West
Coast and Canada in 1939, a tour of
South America and Canal Zóně in 1953,
and a couple of shořt třips to Mon-
terrey, and Mexico City.
Brother Mareak is always ready to
extend a helping hand to anyone in
need. Some of his eustomers today in-
clude the third generation of some
families who háve traded with him
over a 50-year period.
Prior to coming to Kenedy in 1916,
he worked for his brother, Joe Mareak
in Guadalupe, Texas, who was in the
grocery business, for a period of over
six years. He worked in the post offiee
Wednesday, July 13, 1966
located in the store, and served as
Tax assessor of Victoria County.
Respeetfully submitted by
Mrs. Ann Mareak, Secy.
Lodge No. 127, Kenecly
—SPJST—
Houston. Texas
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
I wish to bring yoai the very sad
news of the deatlr of our beloved lodge
sister, mother, sister-in-law, atint,
grandmother, and great-grandinother,
Věra Stcfka, nee Rokyta.
She was boru Feb. 6, 1887 at Lipa,
Czeehoslovakia, and came to the Unit-
ed States at the age of 20. On Oet. 6,
1907, she was married to Joe Stefka,
who preceded her in death in 1949. at
which time they were living in Hous-
ton.
After her marriage they lived in
Shiner, and in 1924 the family moved
to George West to fann and raise
cattle. In 1936 they moved to Hous-
ton where she was living at the time of
her death. In 1958, after 50 years, she
returned to Czeehoslovakia, aceompa-
nied by her daughter, Mrs. Angelině
Loewen, and visited her sister, brother,
nephews and nieces.
VEKA STEFKA
Mother Věra Stefka was a member
of Evangelical Unity of the Czcrii
Noravian Church of Houston, teachcr
of the Christian Sisters Society. She
was a member of SPJST Pokrok Hous-
ton Lodge No. 08. .Ehe loved and stu cli-
cd her Bible and enjoycd her church
work as well as her lodge.
She became ill in January 1C85 and
was so seriously ill she entered the
hospital in February for about 10
weeks. She improved some, b.ut on Nov.
11 tli she returned to the hospital,
where she díed at 11 :30 a.m. Nov. 17tli,
1965, of a stroke.
Funeral services were conducted by
Rev. Henry E. Beseda and Rev. Dan
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Morris, Nick. Věstník (West, Tex.), Vol. 54, No. 28, Ed. 1 Wednesday, July 13, 1966, newspaper, July 13, 1966; West, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth626738/m1/4/: accessed March 28, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Slovanska Podporujici Jednota Statu Texas.