Stanley Frank Pavelka, Jr.

Stanley Frank Pavelka, Jr., of rural Blue Hill, Nebraska, died as a result of an accident on his beloved farm on July 31, 2025, at the age of 72.

A funeral service will be held at Trinity Lutheran Church in Blue Hill, NE at 10:30 am on Thursday, August 7th, with Rev. Glen Wurdeman officiating. Burial will be  in the Cloverton Cemetery southeast of Bladen following the service. Visitation will take place at Merten-Butler Mortuary in Blue Hill 9 am – 8 pm, family present 5-7 pm on Wednesday August 6th. Memorials may be directed to the Cloverton Cemetery Association.  The service will be live-streamed on Merten-Butler Mortuary’s website.  To view the service, go to Stanley’s obituary and click on the play button towards the bottom of the page.  Condolences may be sent to the family at www.mertenbutlermortuary.com. Merten-Butler Mortuary in Blue Hill is in charge of arrangements.

Stan was born on July 4, 1953, in Campbell, Nebraska, to Stanley F. and Darlene A. (Fassler) Pavelka. He graduated from Blue Hill High School in 1971 and Central Community College in Hastings in 1973.  On February 14, 1976, he married Sharon Ahlers. Together they raised their family near Bladen.

Stan was a devoted father to Sara (Joel) Macklin of Blue Hill, Adam (Ashley) Pavelka of Hastings, and Michelle (Jason) Weber of Lincoln. He was a proud and loving grandfather to Libby, Megan, Anna, Avery, and Lauren Macklin; Ava, Owen, Emily, and Asher Pavelka; and Eliza, Silas, Sloane, and Brooks Weber. He is also the grandfather of †August Pavelka, who was born into heaven.

Stan’s life was rooted in family, faith, and farming. He supported his children and grandchildren in 4-H, FFA, and a variety of other activities. He most often expressed his love through physical acts of service. A skilled welder, he crafted swing sets for his family and turned tractor tires into feed bunks. He took pride in putting up hay for his and his grandchildren’s cattle and his granddaughter’s horses—a task refined over a lifetime and carried out with care and dedication. His strong hands and steady work were a reflection of his deep love for the land and for the family who shared it with him. Though he was often reluctant to leave the farm, he recently enjoyed a memorable trip to Alaska with Sharon and her siblings. He also enjoyed vintage cars, especially his Model A Ford and Corvette.

Stan is survived by his wife Sharon; his children and grandchildren; his sisters, Rosalyn (†Ken) Piel of Arvada, CO, and Mary (Richard) Johnson of Hastings; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Stanley and Darlene Pavelka; his twin sister, Sylvia Fink; his grandson, August Pavelka; and brother-in-law Ken Piel

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