Monica M. Paca

Monica M. Paca, 94, of Garner passed away peacefully, Saturday, January 7, 2023, at Concord Care Center in Garner. A funeral mass will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday, January 12, 2023, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Duncan.  A private family burial will be held Friday at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery.

Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 p.m., Wednesday, January 11, 2023, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Duncan with a Rosary Society rosary at 3:30 p.m. followed by a Scriptural wake service.  Visitation will continue one hour prior to services at the church.

The service will be livestreamed on the Cataldo Funeral Home Facebook page.

Monica Wellik, daughter of Joe and Mildred (Kopacek) Wellik, was born May 4, 1928, on her parent’s farm west of Duncan.  She attended schools in Britt and Liberty Townships.  When she was in eighth grade, she won the Hancock County spelling bee.  After eighth grade, she stayed home to help raise her younger siblings.  On April 25, 1951, she was united in marriage to Leonard Paca at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Duncan. After their marriage, they moved to the farm south of Duncan until they retired in July, 1988 and purchased a home in Garner.  Monica helped on the farm milking cows, raising chickens and pigs and helping in the fields while raising their seven children. 

Every Saturday was spent baking kolachies, rohlicky and other types of bread for the week.  Even when she was helping with chores outside, there was always a full meal on the table for her family.  She enjoyed sewing and made several quilts for her children and grandchildren.  Every year she had a huge garden and strawberry patch.  She made the best strawberry jam that everyone she knew got to enjoy.  She also enjoyed playing cards, doing word search puzzles, watching game shows on tv and other board games with her friends and family.

Monica and Leonard loved to dance and spent many nights at the Duncan Hall and other old-time music places.  She seldom missed watching Lawrence Welk, John Deere Bandwagon and the Molly B show, and she and Leonard even got to meet Molly B, which was like meeting royalty to them.  They carried this love of dancing with them to Weslaco, Texas, where they spent their winters for 20 years and made many life-long friends.  Leonard and Monica were even crowned king and queen for the year in Weslaco which was a great honor to them.  Monica’s greatest love was for her husband, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, going to their activities, and especially her Catholic faith.  She will be remembered for her sense of humor and her kind and gentle soul. Her family could always count on a stick of gum in their birthday card.

Monica was a member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, a member and held several offices in the St. Wenceslaus Rosary Society.  She was also a member of the Liberty Bells, Britt American Auxiliary, Polka Dance Club and the First Catholic Slovik Ladies Association.

Monica is survived by her seven children, Thomas (Jeri) Paca of Norwalk, Jane (Vance) Johnson of Britt, Doris (Kurt) Dallman of Garner, Eileen Plathe of Wesley, Kevin (Lynn) Paca of Britt, Bonnie (Mike) Johnson of Kanawha, and Daniel (Chris) Paca of Solon; 18 grandchildren; 22 great-grandchildren; her brothers, Joe (Gloria) Wellik, Marvin (Kay) Wellik, Jerry (Kathy) Wellik; sisters, Vivian (Bill) Pritchard and Millie (Paul) Horstman; brother-in law, Kenneth (Dianne) Paca; and many nieces and nephews.  

She was preceded in death by her husband, Leonard; parents; brother, Elmer Wellik, sons-in-law, Harris (Skip) Lackore and Dennis Plathe; brothers-in-law, Ray and George Paca; and sisters-in-law, JeanAnn and Madelyn Paca.