Bernard Proczak

Bernard Proczak, age 76, of Storm Lake, Iowa died January 15, 2020 at the Buena Vista Regional Medical Center in Storm Lake. Funeral Mass will take place Tuesday, January 21, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. at the St. Mary's Catholic Church in Storm Lake. Burial will be in the church cemetery. Visitation will take place Monday, January 20, 2020 from 5-8:00 p.m. at the Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in STORM LAKE with a KC Rosary at 7:30 p.m. Memorials may be given to UnityPoint Hospice, 214 S 25th St, Fort Dodge, IA 50501 or American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 22478, Oklahoma City, OK 73123. The Fratzke & Jensen Funeral Home in Storm Lake is in charge of the arrangements. Bernard Proczak, the son of Walter and Victoria Proczak, was born on June 9, 1943 in Germany. When Bernie was 5 years old, his family came to America. Growing up, he attended grade school and high school at St. Mary’s Catholic School. On September 1, 1962, Bernie was united in marriage to Helen Frances Struck at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Storm Lake. Bernie was a long-time member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Storm Lake. He was active in the church through being a Knights of Columbus member. He worked in the meat packing industry his entire career, rising steadily in the ranks. He managed plants throughout the United States and before retiring in 2018 managed meat processing plants in his native Poland, and in Romania. Besides his family and notable career in the meat packing industry, Bernie’s favorite pursuits included golfing, boating, fishing, traveling with Fran, and playing cribbage, euchre, or poker for big money that was never paid with his father-in-law and brothers-in-law. In his younger days, Bernie also raced motorcycles and was an accomplished trap shooter who loaded his own shells in his basement where card games would often break out with brothers-in-law and their college buddies crashing there overnight. Incredibly accommodating and devoted, Bernie became the beloved rock of the Proczak and Struck families upon the passing of their parents, always willing to roll up his sleeves and do what it took to resolve any issues that surfaced. The sadness in his passing is immeasurable to them all. Those left to cherish his memory include his wife, Fran Proczak of Storm Lake, Iowa; three daughters, Leah (Richard) Johnson of Colorado; Gina (Ty) Taylor of Humboldt, Iowa; Amy (Jim) Balm of Boone, Iowa; 10 grandchildren: Amanda (Ryan) Bjustrom of Ackley, Iowa; Nacole (Adam) Lamoureaux of Ankeny, Iowa; Jason (MJ) Lamoureaux of Des Moines, Iowa; Jenifer (Adolfo) Honts of Marshalltown, Iowa; Kelly (Scott) Miller of Arizona; Kristen (Adan) Turnbull of Colorado; Haylie (Brad) Butler of Boone, Iowa; Hanna (Chad) Crooks of Ames, Iowa; Jenna Balm of Boone, Iowa; Jamie (Veronica) Balm of Perry, Iowa; several great-grandchildren; brother, Joseph Proczak; many nieces and nephews; many sisters and brothers-in-law and their families. Bernie was preceded in death by his parents, Walter and Victoria Proczak; sister, Mary and brother, Eddy; daughter, Teresa; parents-in-law, Ray and Helen Struck.

Bernard Proczak

June 9, 1943 - January 15, 2020