Albina "Abby" A Vacek

Albina (Zoubek) Vacek (Abby), 93 was born on a farm five miles north and half a mile west of Western, Nebraska on September 9, 1927, to John & Albina Zoubek.  She attended Swan Valley School District 106, also known as Kilmer School to the eighth grade.  As a small child she loved to go visit her Grandma Tuma in Kansas.  In those days it was a three-day trip.  They would leave at the last recess of school on Friday and come home on Sunday evening to do chores.  There were cows to milk, cobs to pick up, carry wood for the stove, water and feed the chickens and pick the eggs.  When she got out of school, she stayed home to work on the farm.  She would help their neighbors clean house or stay with them when they were sick.  Abby and her mother and Mr. and Mrs. Lou Bruha cleaned the Saline Center Hall for many years, where there used to be a dance every two weeks.

On April 20, 1949 she was united in marriage to Adolph Vacek at the Fairbury Courthouse.  She was a housewife until 1966 when she went to work at the Formfit Factory in Crete, where they made bras.  She worked there until June 5 ^th , 1970, and on June 6 ^th , 1970 they bought the Gentleman Jack’s Bar from Jack and Lois Duke, and changed the name to A & A Bar & Grill.  She went on to own the bar for 45 years, being the “Queen of the Kitchen”, finally retiring at the age of 88 in 2015. A & A was a gathering spot for many, to have a cup of coffee, a roll, a hamburger, or a bowl of her famous liver dumpling soup.  No matter the time of day, if someone came in hungry, she would make them something to eat.  In 1990 she was Western’s Old Settlers Picnic Grand Marshal.

Abby is survived by her children, Bonnie and husband Warren Schoenbeck of Western, Adolph Dean (A.D.) and wife Karen Vacek of Western, Barb & husband Eldon Schwisow of Tobias, Betty and husband Rod Nickel of Western and  sisters-in-law  Rose Zoubek & Elsie Vacek of Western.  She has nine grandchildren Andy Schoenbeck, Adam Schoenbeck, Amber Regnier, Angie Jedlicka, Becky Vales, Jennifer Allington, Matt Schwisow, Jill Hraban, Joey Nickel, 23 great-grandchildren, and a whole host of nieces and nephews and other family from her years at the A & A Bar.

Preceded in death by daughter Beverly K Vacek, husband Adolph Vacek Sr., great-granddaughter Tucker Ella Regnier, parents John and Albina Zoubek, sister Sylvia Kotas, brothers Edward, Ben, John Jr., Ernest & Henry Zoubek who passed away in infancy.

Services will be Saturday, December 5, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. at the Presbyterian Church in Fairbury with Lana Likens officiating.  Viewing will be Friday from 4 – 8 with the family present from 5 – 7. Casual Dress. This service is open to the public - there will be no lunch. Masks are required.  Memorials will go to the Struckman-Baatz Library in Western and Western Rescue. Gerdes-Meyer Funeral is assisting with services. www.gerdesmeyerfh.com