Albert W. Watsek

Albert W Watsek, 94, Lincoln, passed away Wednesday, March 7, 2018 at Southlake Village in Lincoln.  Albert was born at Renfrow, Oklahoma on December 4, 1923 to William and Anna Laun Watsek and moved with his family to a farm south of Humboldt in 1930.  He attended Athens and Pleasant Meadows rural schools before the family settled on a farm south of Stella in 1935.  He graduated from Stella High School in 1941.  Following graduation, he was employed by Curtiss-Wright Aircraft Corporation in Buffalo, New York.  He resigned in 1943 to join the Army Air Force where he served 3 years as an aerial gunnery instructor.  While in the service, on December 27, 1944, he married Darleen Dolsky.  He was honorably discharged in February 1946 and they returned to make their home in Humboldt where he was employed by Kern’s Hardware as a mechanic for two years before becoming parts and service manager for Johnson Implement Company for 8 years.   In March 1956, Albert was appointed Postmaster of Humboldt by President Dwight D Eisenhower, a position he held for 27 years before retiring in 1983.  

While living in Humboldt, Albert was active in the community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Humboldt Community Memorial Hospital and the Humboldt Housing Authority and served as president during the construction of Parkview Heights housing.  He was elected to the Humboldt Board of Education in 1956, serving as president in 1959 while also serving as president of the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce where he served over 40 years on various committees. He also served on the City Tree Board and took pride in the plantings at the park that helped earn Humboldt the Tree City designation for 2 years.  Albert was bestowed the honor of King of the Richardson County Fair in 1989.   Albert was a member of the Christian Church, and was board chairman several times, a trustee and an active elder for 30 years.  He was a member of the Masonic Lodge and American Legion for over 65 years.  Albert and Darleen resided in Humboldt for 47 years before moving to Lincoln in 1991 to be closer to family where Albert continued with his favorite hobbies of fishing, camping, woodworking and gardening.  He added cooking to the list after Darleen passed away, including baking kolaches.  He was a member of the Lincoln Czech Club.

Albert is survived by his two children, Gwen Belden and Allen (Jody) Watsek, Lincoln, four granddaughters and spouses Lori and William Koepke, Erin and Chris Schmidt, Ashley and Andy Lundstrom, all of Lincoln, and Lisa Belden and Ignacio Moore, Blacksburg VA, seven great grandchildren, Mackenzie and Benjamin Koepke, Carson Schmidt, Chandler and Evie Lundstrom, of Lincoln, and Amalia and Camilo Moore, Blacksburg, VA, and several nieces and nephews.   He was preceded in death by his wife, parents, brother, two sisters, and son-in-law, James Belden.

Memorial services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 17, 2018 at the First Christian Church, 430 S. 16th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska.  Inurnment will be in the Bohemian National Cemetery south of Humboldt at 2:30 p.m.

Memorials may be given to the Humboldt Christian Church, First Christian Church Lincoln, or the Czech Language Foundation at UNL.

Messages of condolence can be shared at www.wherrymortuary.com.

Wherry Mortuary- 207 N. Nemaha ST.- Humboldt, Nebraska 68376 (402) 862-2915.

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