In Memory of Josephine "Jo" M. Vitek

Josephine “Jo” M. Vitek, age 96, of Ida Grove, Iowa passed away on Thursday, September 1, 2016 at the Morningside Healthcare Community of Ida Grove, Iowa.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, September 6, 2016 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Ida Grove, Iowa. Father Richard D. Ball will officiate.  Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m., on Tuesday, September 6, 2016 at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church of Ida Grove, Iowa. Committal Services will be held in the Sacred Heart Catholic Cemetery of Ida Grove, Iowa. The Christensen - Van Houten Funeral Home of Ida Grove, Iowa is in charge of the funeral arrangements. Condolences may be sent online to www.christensenvanhouten.com

Josephine “Jo” M. Vitek was born July 3, 1920, in Lesterville, South Dakota to Joseph A. and Josephine E. (Vyborny) Pekas.  She attended school and graduated from Lesterville, South Dakota in 1935. She continued her education at Mount Marty College in Yankton, South Dakota for a year learning secretarial work. Jo took the civil service test in 1941 and in 2 weeks was called to work in Washington, D.C., for the Maritime Commission in the ship building department.

In 1943, she left Washington, D.C. and traveled to Columbia, South Carolina to marry Clarence Vitek on June 29, 1943, at the air force base chapel, Clarence being in WW II.  She worked for the draft board and was later promoted to the capital of South Carolina, where she worked for Selective Service for the state.

In 1946 Jo and Clarence started for home to South Dakota after his discharge from air force.  Both went to school in Vermillion, South Dakota and Clarence was given the opportunity to go to school for Lumber yard management. The couple then moved to Ida Grove, Iowa, where Clarence learned to be a manager in the lumber yard business under the GI bill.

In 1948 they moved to Plymouth, Iowa, where Clarence operated a large lumber yard and they were blessed with a daughter, Connie.  In 1950, the family moved back to Ida Grove and Clarence operated the local lumber yard until he retired in 1973.

Jo worked for many offices in Ida Grove, the Court house, abstract office, law office and the telephone company, in 1973 she retired.  She was president of American Legion Auxiliary, member of past presidents, helped with bloodmobile, volunteered at the Horn Memorial Hospital and Morningside Care Center. She enjoyed gardening, her flowers, playing cards at card club, and a trip to the casino.

Jo took over her Dad’s advertising company Pekas Duplicator Co. and her daughter Connie still runs it today.

Survivors are her beloved daughter, Connie Jo Vitek; sister, Mary Jane (Ray) Scherschligt; brother, Joseph (Kay) Pekas; 9 nieces, 2 nephews and numerous great nieces and nephews; many friends, and special friend Jane O’Tool, whom she called her second daughter.

She was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Clarence.