John L. Dvoracek

John L. Dvoracek, 59, of Farwell, died Friday, Dec. 13, 2019, surrounded by his family, at CHI Health St. Francis in Grand Island. Services will be 10 a.m. Wednesday at the United Methodist Church in St. Paul. The Rev. Russ Anderson will officiate. Burial will be in the Cotesfield Cemetery near Cotesfield. Visitation will be Tuesday from 5 to 7 p.m. at the church. Peters Funeral Home of St. Paul is assisting the family. John was born in Burwell, Nebraska to John and Hazel (Burson) Dvoracek on September 16, 1960. He grew up on the family farm near Farwell and graduated from Elba High School in 1979. He attended Central Community College and finished with a degree in Electrical Technology. He then returned to the family farm to work alongside his father. He was united in marriage to Robyn Bilslend on March 17, 1990, in Grand Island, Nebraska. To this union three daughters were born: Michelle, Amanda, and Kristine. John had a passion for both promoting agriculture and small community life. These passions led him to serve on numerous boards and organizations. He was formerly president of the Elba School Board, involved with Howard County and Nebraska Farm Bureau, Cotesfield Cemetery Association, Howard County Medical Foundation Board, and in recent years he served on the Nebraska Grain Sorghum Board and the United Sorghum Checkoff Program Board. He was also a member of the Nebraska LEAD Program Class XXI. He also opened his home to host 10 exchange students and taught them his love for agriculture and rural life. John enjoyed spending time with friends and family. He became a grandpa in 2017 and loved playing with his granddaughter, Sydney. Before his stroke in July, he was looking forward to welcoming his grandson into the world in October. He didn’t let his Parkinson’s slow him down much. He traveled the world promoting sorghum and agriculture. He enjoyed cutting trees with his skid steer, windrowing hay, and driving around the farm in his Kubota. John is survived by his wife, Robyn of Farwell; daughters and son-in-law, Michelle and Tyler Bose of Arcadia, Amanda Dvoracek of Columbus, Kristine Dvoracek of Farwell; 2 grandchildren, Sydney and Jace Bose; his sister and brother-in-law, MaryAnn and Tim Bolton of Doniphan; in-laws, Walter and Carolyn Bilslend of Wood River; sisters-in-law and spouses, Dian and Mark Gloe of Wood River and Marcy and David Luth of Grand Island; 3 nephews, Chris (Beth) Bolton of Kenesaw, Eric (Danielle) Bolton of Mound Ridge, KS and Matthew (Hannah) Gloe of Wood River; and 1 niece, Melissa (Chad) Imler of Glenvil; along with great nieces and nephews, aunts and numerous cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents. Memorials are suggested to the family to establish a scholarship in John’s name, or to the Farwell or Elba Fire Departments.