Rose M. (Sasek) Zoubek, age 95, of Wilber, passed away Dec. 30, 2025, at the Crete Area Medical Center surrounded by family.
Rose was born Aug. 31, 1930, to Robert Sr. and Tillie (Smith) Sasek. She attended rural Wilber country school through eighth grade. Rose graduated from Wilber High School with the Class of 1947. Rose was a country schoolteacher prior to her marriage. On June 23, 1949, she was united in marriage to Ernest H. Zoubek until March 13, 2016, when Ernest passed away after 66 years of marriage. They were blessed with six children and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Rose had a remarkable green thumb and passed her passion for gardening on to her children and grandchildren. She raised chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys, lovingly tending to them from the moment she placed their eggs in the incubator until they hatched.
The house was always filled with the comforting aroma of freshly baked kolaches and rolls, and every Christmas season she brought a big bowl of peppernut cookies to the table. Rose cherished country living and stayed busy with farm life, raising her children and later spending time with her grandchildren. She had a true passion for sewing, and her sewing machine was rarely still – constantly stitching clothing or creating patchwork quilts.
Rose also enjoyed helping her sister-in-law at the A & A Bar in Western. In 2011, she and her husband retired and moved to Wilber. After settling in, Rose joined the Wilber Garden Club, where she loved learning new techniques and sharing her gardening talents with fellow members. She especially appreciated living along the Wilber Czech Days parade route and treasured the family gatherings and traditions that Czech Days brought each year.
Rose was a proud member of the Z.C.B.J. Lodge. She and her family were honored with the AKSARBEN Nebraska Pioneer Farm Award for the Smith-Sasek-Zoubek family.
Surivors include her children, Gary (Pamela) Zoubek of York, Bonita Zoubek of Tobias, Nancy Kratochvil of Swanton, Mary (Kelly) Homolka of Wilber, Kathy (Jim) Mammen of Western, and Vicky (Tom) Culver of Lincoln; 28 grandchildren; 29 great- and great-great-grandchildren; and sister-in-law, Ginny Sasek of Wilber.
She was preceded in death by husband, Ernest Zoubek; parents, Robert, Sr., and Tillie (Smith) Sasek; son, Stanley Zoubek; son-in-law, Richard Kratochvil; mother and father-in-law, John Sr and Albina (Tuma) Zoubek; sister and brother-in-law, Betty (Sasek) and Robert Kohout; brothers, Robert E Sasek and Joseph Sasek; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Edward and Berniece Zoubek, Ben and Lillian Zoubek, John and Evelyn Zoubek, Sylvia and Frank Kotas, Henry Zoubek (infant), and Albina and Adolph Vacek.
The funeral service will be Saturday, Jan. 3, at 10:30 a.m. at Kuncl Funeral Home in Wilber. The service will be livestreamed and can be viewed via https://evt.live/rose-marie-zoubek-service. Visitation is Friday from 5 - 7 p.m at the funeral home. Memorial contributions are suggested in care of the family for future designation.
Arrangements by Kuncl Funeral Home.
