Mary Pat Shimek

Tuesday, February 25, 2020 2:33 pm

Mary Pat Shimek, 70, of Decorah, succumbed to cancer Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020, at the Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah, with her brothers and sisters at her side. A mass of Christian burial was at 11 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 12, at the St. Benedict Catholic Church in Decorah, with Rev. Donald Hertges presiding. A private family burial will be held at a later date. Visitation was from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the Schluter-Balik Funeral Home in Decorah and also after 10 a.m. at the church Wednesday morning. Organist was Mary Beth Bouska. Cantor was Cindy Schissel. Hymns were “Here I Am Lord,” “Bread, Blessed and Broken,” “Taste and See,” “Quietly and Peacefully” and “Let There Be Peace On Earth.” Lectors were Jackie Sorensen and Beth Nickel. Offertory gift bearers were Eric Shimek and Jackie Sorensen. Eucharistic minister was Nick Lupkes. Honorary urn bearers was the Notre Dame Class of 1967. The Schluter-Balik Funeral Home handled arrangements.

Mary Pat (Patricia) Shimek was born Aug. 7, 1949, in Cresco. The first of seven children born to Clarence and Roselyn (Bohr) Shimek, she was the apple of her father’s eye.

She graduated from Notre Dame High School in 1967 and went on to receive secretarial training at Area One in Calmar. She worked briefly at the A&W and Ronnie’s Café in Decorah. She then used her gift of gab to serve customers at Norb’s True Value until it closed and then at Usgaard and Smith for the last 24 years. Mary Pat was an entrepreneur with her own small appliance repair business, MS Small Appliance Repair as well as being an Avon representative.

Mary Pat was a member of St. Benedict’s Church and enjoyed God’s creation while gardening, canoeing and fishing (just for the fun of it, she usually threw them back). She was always up for a good time and a cold beer, enjoying country western music, especially Alan Jackson and “Amarillo by Morning” by George Strait.

Searching for bargains at the Depot was another favorite activity. She was also known for sending greeting cards – not a birthday or anniversary would go by without a card from Mary Pat. Everyone was excited about getting Mary Pat’s homemade Christmas gifts every year because every year it was something different. Every niece, nephew and grandniece and nephew also received one of her special bunny blankets when they were born. She’ll be remembered for her kindness, generosity and great dance moves.

Left to cherish their big sister’s memory are Mary Pat’s sisters: Jeanene (Ed) Breitenstein of Keokuk; Anne (Jim) Ott of Cresco; and Jayne (Myron) Lupkes of Joice; brothers: Tom (Bobbie) Shimek of Riceville; John (Mary) Shimek of Ridgeway; and Pete (Randi) Shimek of Cresco; as well as special friend Bob Dietzenbach of Cresco; 15 nieces and nephews and many great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her father, Clarence, in 1999 and her mother, Roselyn, in 2015; maternal grandparents, Anthony and Mary (Imholte) Bohr; and paternal grandparents, Joe and Rose (Vorda) Shimek; special friend, Enoch “Lucky” Nelson.