Frank I. Novotny

Frank I. Novotny was born December 4, 1951, in Beatrice, Nebraska to Benjamin & Jeanette (Psota) Novotny. He passed away January 16, 2023, as a result of a fall the week prior. Frank grew up on a farm southeast of Steele City. He attended grade school District 58 through the 8th grade. He then attended Fairbury High School, graduating in 1969, and was active in FFA all 4 years and wrestled his senior year. He teased us kids with how bright he was, as he started 1st grade when he was just 4 years old. June 26, 1971, he went on a date with Darlene Dux. Frank and Darlene Dux were married May 27, 1972, at Zion United Church of Christ, Gladstone. To this union, 3 children were born, Ben, Kellie, and Tyler. After graduation, he worked construction, building houses in Beatrice and the surrounding areas. In 1978, he and his brother Roger, started Novotny Brothers Construction. He remodeled their old farmhouse, taking it from a two-story house to a ranch style. His love of the construction work was cement work. He also did custom baling and custom combining. January 2011, he hurt his leg coming off a step ladder and became very sick with infection. The doctor was sending him to Lincoln and didn’t think they would be able to save his leg and maybe not save him. He was in St. Elizabeth Burn Unit for 3 weeks. We were blessed to have him with us for another 12 years. Collier, Reid and Harper got to know him. He was able to meet Elizabella and Liviana. He later retired in 2011 and would go to “coffee” every morning at Side Trek at Harbine and West Maatch’s at 4:00 to catch up on the latest news. You could set your watch to when Frank and Roger would stop by Ben’s shop to “check on the progress” almost every day at 11:30. If Ben had a crew out chopping silage, or in the field, they didn’t need GPS, they would follow an empty truck, then assume their self -appointed supervisor role from the windshield. Reid, (age 8 at the time), described it well, what Grandpa was up to one day. “Riding around with Rog, fiddling around. They can do that all day, and at the end of the day, they say, ‘Hey, you wanna do it again tomorrow?’” He is preceded in death by parents: Benjamin and Jeanette (Psota) Novotny and grandparents: John and Mary (Sedlacek) Novotny and Fred and Emma (Kostal) Psota. Aunts, Uncles and cousins. Frank is survived by wife of 50 years, Darlene. Children: Ben and wife Melissa of Jansen, Kellie White and husband Ryan of Hampton, Georgia, and Tyler and fiancé Jill Holliman of Fairbury. Grandchildren: Reid Novotny of Jansen, Collier & Harper White of Hampton, Georgia, Elizabella & Liviana Nickel of Fairbury. Sister, Diane Arnold of Loveland, Colorado. Brothers: Greg and wife Sue of Diller, Roger and significant other Sharon of Fairbury, and Brian and friend Lorrie of Fairbury. Several nieces and nephews, cousins, a host of friends and his coffee buddies from Harbine and West Maatsch’s. Services will be Saturday, January 21, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at the First Christian Church in Fairbury. Casual dress is requested. The family will greet friends Friday evening from 6 - 8 at the funeral home. Memorials will go to the Jefferson County Ministerial's Mercy fund through BVCA. Gerdes-Meyer Funeral Home is assisting with arrangements. www.gerdesmeyerfh.com

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