Arlene Ann Zajic, née Kasparek, 86, of Seward NE passed away on Tuesday, July 7 ^th , 2020. She was born on April 26 ^th , 1934 to Edward and Ludmilla (née Vozenilek) Kasparek. On July 29 ^th , 1952 she married Melvin Bernard Zajic.  To this union, six children were born.  Roger, Duane (Emmy) of Seward NE, Kathleen, Cheryl Snyder (Devon) of Cary NC, Debra Walton-Zajic (Devon) of Plymouth MN, and Ron (Patty) of Hanover KS.  Roger and Kathleen were born at rest.  A lifelong resident of Southeastern Nebraska, she was born on her parent's farm located northwest of Wilber, where she attended rural school district 72.  Later her family moved southwest of Dorchester and Arlene attended rural school district 55. After graduating from high school in 1951, she began her teaching career at a local rural school.  She taught for a total of six years.  Once she was married, she left teaching to work alongside her husband on the farm.  When her children finished high school, Arlene went back to work at Milligan Public School as a teacher's aide. She was very proud of her Czech heritage and was widely known for her culinary baking skills in traditional Czech cuisine. She loved playing cards, dancing, listening to polka music and going to special events at Tabor Hall and Saline Center. Arlene enjoyed her children and grandchildren; guiding them along life's way through the good times and through some tough times.  She loved reading to them as well as baking chocolate chip cookies, rolls & kolache.  After 41 years of marriage, she was preceded in death by her husband Melvin.  She stayed on the farm for an additional seven years.  She later lived with her special friend Art Pracheil.  They spent nearly two decades together until health issues necessitated the need for them to live apart.  In addition to her children, she is survived by her sister Norma Roelfs of Beatrice and her sister-in-law Norma Brozovsky of Crete.  She has 9 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. A celebration of Arlene's life will be at 10 a.m. Monday, July 13 ^th at the Kuncl Funeral Home in Crete with Pastor Scott D. Bruick officiating.  The service can be viewed online from the following link: https://www.kunclfh.com/obituary/arlene-zajic . Visitation will be on Sunday from 4 – 7 p.m. at the funeral home.  Interment will take place in Wilber Czech Cemetery. Memorials are in care of the family with a charitable donation to be made in Arlene's memory at a later date. Kuncl Funeral Home in Crete is in charge of arrangements.