William "Bill" J. Varilek

William “Bill” John Varilek was born on June 24, 1932 to William and Frances (Stulir) Varilek in rural Scotland, South Dakota. He attended country school in rural Tyndall until the 8th grade at which time he began to work. For a time, he farmed alongside his father and also helped other local farmers. In February 1953, Bill was drafted into the U.S. Army. He was honorably discharged in 1955 and received his GED while serving. On August 8, 1955, Bill was united in marriage to Patricia Cihak at Assumption Church in Dante, South Dakota. Together they made their home on a farm in rural Tyndall. Bill was a devoted farmer who raised both crops and livestock. In 1964, they moved to Omaha, Nebraska where he began to work in the finance and inspection offices for the US Postal Service. He continued this career until his retirement in November 1992. In 1995, they moved back home to South Dakota to once again enjoy the farm life.
Bill was an honest, hardworking man who at times was a perfectionist and knew how to get things done right. What mattered most to him was his family, his South Dakota home, and “the farm.” Bill loved the farm and always wanted to be there. Following his retirement, he continued to enjoy the farm by fixing fences, mowing, and more. Bill was a lifetime member of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) and Pike-Wagner American Legion Post in Tyndall. He was also a member of St. Leo Catholic Church, Tyndall and the Knights of Columbus.
In 2013, Bill was diagnosed with cancer. Though he was faithful in his treatments, his condition steadily worsened. He was a strong man who took his struggles in stride. Bill fell asleep in Jesus on Monday, October 1, 2018 at the Good Samaritan Society of Tyndall having attained the age of 86 years, 3 months, and 7 days.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Patricia Varilek of Tyndall, SD; son Gary (Tami) Varilek of Lincoln, NE; grandchildren: Allison (Trevor) Wild of Des Moines, IA, Ben (Ashley) Varilek of Omaha, NE, Michael (Clarissa) Varilek of Seattle, WA, and Nick Varilek of Lincoln, NE; great-grandchildren: Lilia and William Wild, and Logan, Amelia, and Quinn Varilek; and sister-in-law Rita (Stan) Schuch of Tyndall, SD.
He was preceded in death by his parents, parents-in-law, and sister Marie O’Grady.