Ernest Clarence Pavlicek

Ernest Clarence Pavlicek of Fairbury, World War II veteran and former Fairbury Power Plant superintendent, died January 22, 2014, at the age of 97.

Ernie was born Dec. 16, 1916, on the family farm south of Thompson, NE., to Vaclav and Josefina (Boruvka) Pavlicek, Jr. He was the son and grandson of immigrants from Bohemia, now the Czech Republic.
Following the Dec. 7, 1941, attack on Pearl Harbor, he was drafted and inducted April 20, 1942, into the U. S. Army at Fort Leavenworth, KS.

He returned to Fairbury on furlough to marry Darlene Schoen Nov. 22, 1942. He served as a radio technician with the 47th Field Artillery Battalion, 5th Armored Division, which fought in five major campaigns: Normandy, Northern France, Rhineland, Ardennes-Alsace, and Central Europe.


He was employed at Lester’s Electric in Fairbury before and after the war. In 1947, he opened Ernie’s Radio Service at 608 4th street and ran it for 10 years. He began working at the Fairbury Power Plant in 1957 and retired as plant superintendent in 1985 after 28 years of service at the plant.
For the next four years, he served on the Fairbury City Council for Ward 2. Following that stint, he was appointed for two terms to the Fairbury Power Board and served for eight years. He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.

Ernie was preceded in death by wife Darlene in 2005, and brothers William, Robert, and Edward Pavlicek. Survivors include niece Susan Pavlicek of Fairbury, several cousins, Darlene’s nieces and nephews, and many friends.


Memorials to the VFW, 2337 K St. Fairbury, NE.,or Fairbury Cemetery Association, P. O. Box 408, Fairbury, NE 68352.

Services will be Monday, January 27, 2014 at 10:30 a.m. at the Gerdes-Meyer Chapel in Fairbury, NE. with Pastor Lana Likens officiating. Gerdes-Meyer Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.