Betty Jean Wanek was born on October 15, 1931 in a tiny one bedroom house in Crete, to Edward and Matilda (Reiss) Duchek and passed away on March 15, 2017 at the The Windcrest in Lincoln, Nebraska at the age of 85 years.
At a young age her family moved to an acreage north of Crete where she attended North Ward School through the 9th grade and then attended Crete School graduating with the Class of 1949. While in high school she was a majorette and played the saxophone in the school band.
Betty was united in marriage to Leonard Sinkule in 1950 and worked alongside her husband, candling eggs at Sinkule Produce, and also worked at a local coffee shop where the Pinnacle Bank is now located, was a clerk at the Gambles Store, and was one of the first 13 employees hired at Formfit Rodgers working as a training supervisor. To the union of her marriage to Leonard a daughter, Jenee Lynette was born in 1958 and son, Jay Edward in 1960. She made her home in Lawton, Oklahoma for a year while Leonard was serving with the National Guard.
After their return to Crete, they had a custom home built on Boswell and Betty worked along with Leonard at Wanek's of Crete. They moved to their home near the Country Club and the couple divorced shortly after. She began working at Miller and Paine in Lincoln, Nebraska.
In 1966 she married Bob Wanek. Betty helped raise Bob's three children; Alan, Dale and Susan. She returned to work at Wanek's for many years, retiring in 1995. During her retirement she enjoyed living in Hawaii and Crete throughout the year. In 2013 Betty moved to Lincoln and resided at The Legacy and in February of 2016 she moved to the Windcrest where she spent the remainder of her life.
Betty is preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Matilida Duchek and John Kubes, and her brother; Vern Duchek.
She is survived by her children; Jay Sinkule and significant other, Becky Stewart, Jenee Woodard, Susan (Gene) Chrastil, Alan (Cindy) Wanek and Dale (Sheryl) Wanek, 10 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren.
Funeral services, Tuesday, March 21, 2017 at 11:00 AM from Kuncl Funeral Home, Crete, Nebraska. Interment, 2:00 PM on Tuesday at Riverside Cemetery, Crete, Ne. Family will receive friends at a visitation held on Monday, 5 PM to 8 PM at the funeral home. Memorials can be given to the Sesostris Shrine Transportation fund.