Eileen M. Malek

GARNER - Eileen McCormick Malek, 91 of Gretna, NE, previously of Garner died Sunday (November 6, 2011) after a short illness, surrounded by family at Midlands Community Hospital in Papillion, NE.

Funeral services will be held 10:30 A.M., Wednesday, November 9th at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Garner with Fr. Dennis Miller officiating. Burial will be in St. John's Catholic Cemetery in Duncan.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 6:30 P.M., Tuesday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel, 160 E. 4th St., in Garner with a Rosary Society rosary at 6 P.M. followed by a Scriptural Wake service.

Eileen McCormick was born on August 25, 1920 and was the daughter of Michael and Florence McCormick. She was baptized and confirmed at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Garner.. She attended grade school and graduated from Garner High School in May 1937. Following graduations, she worked at Roe's grocery store for several years. On August 23, 1938, she married Edward F. Malek (deceased). Eileen began working outside the home in the late 1960's at the Garner Hayfield High School. In 1968, she took the Iowa Merit Test and began working for the Department of Human Services for Hancock County and working until her retirement in 1989. She was honored by Gov. Robert Ray in 1980 for her outstanding work for the DHS.

Eileen was very involved with St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Duncan, IA where she taught CCD class for 13 years, served as officer for the Rosary Society, worked on the committee for the first printing of the Duncan Cook Book, and sang in the choir with her husband for over 42 years.

In 1980, after 42 years on the farm, Ed and Eileen retired and moved to Garner where they enjoyed 25 years together. One major highlight for both Ed and Eileen were two trips to London and then on to Wales to visit relatives. While living in Garner, they became members of St. Boniface Catholic Church. Eileen enjoyed cooking, baking, and working with plants both in the house and outdoors. Ed Malek died October 30, 2005 after a short illness. One month prior to his death, Ed and Eileen move to Gretna, NE where they lived with Tom and Marilyn Malek. Eileen suffered from several medical problems including macular degeneration and lost her sight. She enjoyed reading, but after losing her sight, she began listening to books on tape provided by the Library for the Blind in Lincoln, NE.

Eileen will be laid to rest beside her husband in St. John's Cemetery in Duncan, IA. Eileen is survived by three children, Carolyn (Joseph) McGuire of State Center, IA, Tom (Marilyn) Malek of Gretna, NE, and Catherine (Bruce) Kennedy of Pleasant Prairie, WI. They have nine grandchildren, Tim McGuire, Molly McGuire (fiancé Manny Vasquez), Moira Pyle, Tiffani (Mike) Keckler, Alissa (Brian) Neu, Shannon (Jody) Siver, Megan (Rob) McDonald, Matthew Kennedy and Michael (Jocelyn) Kennedy. There are fifteen great-grandchildren, Maggie and Macey McGuire, Aiden and Addison McGuire Vasquez, Devon Pyle, Taylor Wagner, Noah May, Sydney Keckler, Natalie, Jacquelyn and Lillian Siver, Morgan and Reese Neu, Carson Kennedy and Charlotte McDonald. She is also survived by a brother Robert (Bev) McCormick and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband of 67 years, Edward Malek.