TIMKEN — James R. “Jim” Pivonka, 88, died Friday, Dec. 8, 2017, at Rush County Memorial Hospital in LaCrosse. Mr. Pivonka was born Oct. 31, 1929, in Timken, the son of Ralph M. and Antonia (Holopirek) Pivonka. He was a lifelong resident of Rush County. A 1947 graduate of Bison High School he was a co-owner operator of Pivonka Implement in Timken, which later moved to LaCrosse. On July 15, 1953, he married Betty Jean Sandstrom, in Timken. She preceded him July 15, 1963. He then married Laura J. (Oliverius) Warnken on Oct. 7, 1967 at St. Rose Catholic Church in Great Bend.
He was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church and the W. F. L. A. both of Timken.
Survivors include, his wife, Laura J. Pivonka, Timken; children, Tom Pivonka and his wife Janice, Great Bend, Rick Warnken and his wife Kim, Great Bend, Lachele Greathouse, and her husband, Greg, Garden City, and Brenda Barrett and her husband Steve, Garden City; one brother, Cyrill M. “Bud” Pivonka, Timken,; 14 grandchildren; and ten great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Betty Jean Pivonka; one brother, Ralph C. Pivonka; and two sisters, Marie Mahoney, and Matilda Meneley.
Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 14, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Timken with Father Eric Gymafi officiating. Interment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery in Timken. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Wednesday at the Janousek Funeral Home in La Crosse, with the family receiving friends from 6-7 p.m. A vigil service and rosary will be at 7 p.m. Church visitation will be from 9-10 a.m. Thursday, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Timken. Memorials are suggested to Holy Trinity Catholic Church, or to Locust Grove Village, LaCrosse. Condolences or remembrances may be left for the family at www.charterfunerals.com/locations/janousek-lacrosse.php.

Funeral arrangements provided by
Janousek Funeral Home*
P.O. Box 550
La Crosse, KS 67548
Great Bend (Kan.) Tribune, Dec. 12, 2017