Roger J. Nowak, 93, of St. Paul, entered God’s kingdom on Sunday, March 17, 2024 at Brookefield Park Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation in St. Paul.

Mass of Christian Burial was held on Tuesday, March 26, 2024, at Sts.

Peter & Paul Catholic Church in St. Paul. The Reverend Vincent Parsons celebrated the Mass.

Tom Knutson was the lector and Pat Knutson was the Eucharistic minister.

Linda Schmaderer, Linda Kezeor, Cindy Peters, and Dan Nielsen were the musicians. Musical selections included “On Eagle’s Wings,” “Be Not Afraid,” “How Great Thou Art,” “Song of Farewell,” and “Lead Me Lord.”

Urn bearers included Trey Nowak, Colton Nowak, and Seth Nowak.

Inurnment was in St.

Wenceslaus Catholic Cemetery west of St. Paul. In lieu of flowers, memorials are suggested to the Howard County Medical Center or the American Diabetes Association.

Roger or “Captain Hook,” as he would joke, was born on September 19, 1930, on the family farm in the Midway area west of St. Paul, to Peter and Victoria (Curtis) Nowak.

He grew up on the family farm. It was there that Roger developed his work ethic that would carry him through the rest of his life.

He attended country school at District 8 and finished his education graduating from St. Paul High School in 1948. He was involved in various clubs and sports during his high school years, back when they wore leather football helmets, like real men.

His father, Peter, farmed and managed the Midway Grain Elevator for many years, where Roger spent many hours chasing tom cats and rats. In 1950, his father passed away, so Roger and his brother, Dale, formed the Nowak Brother’s partnership and took over the farming operations.

They continued to add more land and rent land from neighbors and had a very sizable operation, which is still farmed by family members.

Roger and Lillian (Wulf) Papst were united in marriage on February 18, 1964 at Grand Island.

They raised their five children on the family farm, known as Canadian Hill. They operated a dairy and raised registered Limousine cattle.

Aside from farming, Roger was involved in helping with his children’s 4-H and FFA projects and being a chauffeur for all the various activities they were involved with.

Roger had farming in his DNA. He had his work bib overalls, or “farmers” as his children would call them, and his going to town “farmers”.

Roger retired from farming at the age of seventy- five. The next spring, he started his retirement job: mowing weeds around the fields and driving the backroads watching the neighbors’ crops grow. He said it was the best job he ever had.

Roger was an active member of the community and church. He was a longtime member of Sts.

Peter & Paul Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus Council 1918 of St. Paul.

He served on the Farmer’s Union Board of Directors for six years. He also served as a board member of the Howard County ASCS for ten years.

Roger was a John Deere tractor aficionado and enjoyed attending tractor shows and farming events throughout the area. He also enjoyed attending fairs, church bazaars, pancake feeds, and other community functions. In his later years, he would look forward to his weekly high stakes (twenty-five-cents a hand) knock poker game at the Office Bar and Matelyn Retirement Community.

He was an encyclopedia of knowledge of the history and events of the area.

There was always a PBR in the fridge and a story to tell to whoever would stop by.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Peter and Victoria Nowak; former wife, Lillian Nowak; sister, Maxine (Miller) Meyer; brother, Dale Nowak; and brothers- in-law, George Miller and Harold Meyer.

He is survived by his children, Jackie Urbanski and Alden Stein of Desert Hills, Arizona, Tony and Val Papst of Farwell, Shane Nowak of St. Paul, Shawn and Karen Nowak of Gillette, Wyoming, and Travis and Tanya Nowak of Auburn, Washington; twenty-one grandchildren, James and Jamie Urbanski, Jessie and Heather Urbanski, Amber and Jon Kuck, Jennifer and Jim Bangert, Rebecca and Travis Sydzyik, Ashley and Tom Usasz, Tyler and Brittany Scheer, Josh Scheer, Devin and Aubrey Scheer, Seth Nowak, Ethan Nowak, and Trey Nowak and Colton Nowak; twenty-three great-grandchildren, Austin and Toby Urbanski, Ashlyn, Aniston, and Aveyn Urbanski, Kody and Kali Kuck, Jameson and Jackson Bangert, Aria, Ian, and Bryce Sydzyik, William, Logan, Jay, and Sydney Usasz, Sophia and Autumn Nowak, Mackenzee, Paisley, and Reagen Scheer, and Emerson and Lucy Scheer; and two great-great-grandsons, Rowdy and Ryatt Dibbern; sister-in-law, Elaine Nowak of St. Paul; and brother-in-law, LaVern Wulf of St. Paul.

Condolences and memories may be shared with Roger’s family by visiting www.petersfuneralhome. net.