Rosie Julia Pesek Smith passed away on March 27, 2024, in Burke, SD. Rosie was born June 12, 1933, to Joe and Helen (Vomacka) Pesek. She attended school around Colome and Dallas through the 8th grade, attended Colome High School for two years, and graduated from Gregory High School in 1954. She went on to attend Southern State Teachers College in Springfield, SD.
Rosie married Don Smith on October 9, 1954, at the Gregory Methodist Church. Rosie and Don have lived in the Gregory area their entire married life of 69 years.
Rosie taught in Dallas, Colome, Keya Paha, Gregory, and Hayes SD. Rosie taught for 12 years before retiring to take care of her mother who was injured in a car accident. Rosie also cared for her father, brothers, and mother-in-law in her retirement years. Rosie never forgot her former students and stayed in touch with many of them. She loved all her former students as well as the neighborhood children. Rosie was famous for giving candy bars or a dollar to the neighborhood kids in exchange for a hug.
Rosie loved to dance and listen to her Czech music. Her favorites were her dad’s button accordion and the Leon Olsen band.
Preceding Rosie in death are her parents, Joe and Helen Pesek, sister Helen, brothers Joseph and Jim Pesek, great nephew Jeremy Pesek, mother and father-in-law Cliff and Anna Smith, and close friend, Clarence Raschke.
Survivors of Rosie are her husband Don Smith, brother Alvin Pesek, sister-in-law Linda Smith, special friend Carol Raschke, many nephews and nieces, friends at Buche’s, as well as neighbors and friends too numerous to list.
Rosie will be greatly missed by many.
Funeral Services for Rosie Smith, age 90, of Gregory, SD, will be held on Tuesday, April 9, 2024, at 10:30AM at United Methodist Church in Gregory, South Dakota. Burial will follow in Graceland Cemetery in Burke, SD. Visitation is one hour prior to funeral service.
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