Allan F. "Al" Petricek

Memorial Mass for Allan F. Petricek, age 87, Norfolk, will be 10:30 a.m., Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at St. Mary’s Church in Norfolk.  Reverend Patrick McLaughlin will be the celebrant.  A Rosary will be recited 30 minutes before Mass.  Inurnment will be at Prospect Hill Cemetery.  Home for Funerals is in charge of arrangements.

Allan passed away on Wednesday, April 12th.

Al was the son of Frank and Helen (Novak) Petricek.  He was born on March 10, 1936 in Howells, Nebraska.   He graduated from Howells High School and married Dorothy Drahota on June 4, 1957.  They moved to Omaha, Nebraska where Al received his pharmaceutical degree from Creighton University.  From there they moved to Norfolk, NE in 1965 and raised six children and spent many years being involved in the community.

Throughout his long career Al was a well-respected pharmacist in Norfolk at Gibson Pharmacy which later changed names to Lloyd’s Drug Mart.  He was known for taking time to talk to his customers and mentoring those he worked with to deliver excellent customer service.  He retired at the age of 72. 

Al loved fishing, hunting birds and spending time in Niobrara, Nebraska.  He spent hundreds of hours at and on the river with his children, especially his sons, and many friends.  His wife, Dorothy, would indulge this passion occasionally.  This pastime has been become beloved and passed on to the next generations.

Al was one of the founding fathers of Fairplay Golf Course in Norfolk.  It started as a sandy, burr-filled field on which a driving range was first built.  From there, a golf course designer was called in and greens were manually watered, day and night.  He served on the board for many years and golfed hundreds of games.  Friendships made on the golf course lasted throughout his lifetime.

In his early years Al was an avid bowler, fast pitch softball player, umpire, basketball referee, a member of the Jaycees and the Knights of Columbus.  He reflected often in this last year of the yearly trips with friends to Lincoln, NE for the high school basketball championships and Husker football games.

Al’s children would like to think their father invented the phrase “Recycle and Reuse”.  They also had wished he invented duct tape.  Their father enjoyed tinkering in the basement and always had a project  on the go.  He was a humble, compassionate, and principled man.

Al was a man strong in his faith.  He was a member of Sacred Heart Parish and all six of his children attended Norfolk Catholic schools.

Al is survived by five of his children, Becky (Ken) Reich of Walkerton, Ontario, Barb Sucha of Norfolk, Bob Petricek of Norfolk, Terri Conner of Madison, NE and Peg (Chris) Steffensmeier of Clarkson, NE.  Al also leaves behind 11 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren.

Also surviving Al is his brother, Frank (Wanda) Petricek of Cedar Creek, NE and sister-in-law Mary Lou Petricek of Omaha, NE.  On his wife, Dorothy’s side, he is survived by Ken (Jennifer) Drahota, Don (Janie) Drahota, Jerry (Jann) Drahota, and sisters-in-law Karen Drahota, Michelle Drahota and Cindy McCracken and many nieces and nephews.

Al lost his beloved wife of 64 years, Dorothy to cancer on March 16, 2022.   His precious son, Tommy, died at the age of 8 on July 1, 1974.  He is preceded in death by his parents, his brother Jude and sister Anita Hart.

Al’s family would like to extend a special thanks to the caring staff of Edgewood Vista.  They ensured he had the best quality of life for the last month he lived. 

“Any man can be a father, but it takes someone special to be a dad.”

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