Royce Zatopek, Sr.

Royce Zatopek Sr., age 75, of West, passed away late Tuesday afternoon, March 24, 2015 at a Dallas hospital. A rosary will be recited 3:00 p.m. Sunday at the Aderhold Funeral Home Chapel by Msgr. Isidore Rozycki, with visitation to follow until 5:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 10:00 a.m. Monday at St. Mary's Catholic Church of the Assumption, with Rev. Paul Hudson as celebrant. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery. Royce was born January 3, 1940 in West, the son of Elo Otto and Hattie (Popp) Zatopek. He attended school at St. Mary's and was a 1958 graduate of West High School. Royce went on to receive his Associates Degree in Drafting from Tarleton State and also attended Texas A&M. On January 6, 1962, he was united in marriage to Virginia Elizabeth Marak in West. Royce was a Lieutenant with the Waco Fire Department from 1974 until his retirement in 2000. He also worked for Cameron Mills in Waco and was owner of West Service Station for a number of years. Royce was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church of the Assumption in West. He was a Fourth Degree Knight with West Knights of Columbus. Royce was an RVOS salesman for many years. He was also a Mason with the West Masonic Lodge and Waco Shriners. Royce enjoyed gambling casinos, going to Lake Tahoe, deer hunting and spending time with his brothers. He especially loved spending time with his son, daughter-in-law, his grandson and his wife Tracie. Survivors include his beloved wife of 52 years, Virginia Zatopek of West; son, Royce Zatopek Jr. and wife Stacy of Rockwall; brothers, Elo J. Zatopek and wife Nancy and Butch Zatopek; grandson, Jordan Zatopek and his wife Tracie; and several nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. Active pallbearers are Tally Barnes, Kenneth Popp, Billy Schroeder, Raymond Kubala, Sonny Marak, Steve Veselka, Billy Bettge and Jack Stanley. Honorary pallbearers are Waco Fire Department, Waco Masonic Lodge, West Knights of Columbus Fourth Degree Knights and his coffee buddies at Slovacek's. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the West Rest Haven Disaster Relief Fund, West Ambulance Association, or St. Mary's School Endowment Fund.