Martin E. Mazourek

Martin E. Mazourek, age 99, of Yankton, South Dakota died peacefully at Avera Sister James Care Center on Monday August 25, 2025.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 AM, on Wednesday, September 3, 2025 at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Yankton with Reverend Bob Lacey and Reverend Kristopher Cowles officiating. Burial will be in the St. Wenceslaus Cemetery in Tabor, South Dakota with military honors provided by the Kortan-Hatwan American Legion Post No. 183 of Tabor and the US Navy Funeral Honor Guard. Visitation is from 5:00 to 7:00 PM, on Tuesday, September 2 at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a rosary and vigil at 7:00 PM. Visitation continues one hour prior the funeral at the church on Wednesday.

Pallbearers are Corey Kubal, Gary Becker, Tony Becker, Alex Becker, Nick Stutzman, and Easten Becker.  Honorary pallbearers are members of the Kortan-Hatwan American Legion Post No. 183, the Knights of Columbus, and all World War II Veterans who served with Martin.

Martin E. Mazourek was born January 28, 1926, in Dante, SD on the family farm to Martin A. and Antonia (Cap) Mazourek. He attended school in Dante and Avon and graduated from Wakonda High School in 1944. Martin joined the Navy in 1945 working for the Executive Officer on the USS Wisconsin and ending in 1946 as a Yeoman Third Class. His most memorable event in WWII was observing the surrender of Japanese to the United States in Tokyo Bay. After the Navy, Martin traveled to California to be with his uncle, Bergan “Bud” and aunt, Barbara (Cap) Anderson. He worked in an orange plant separating the best quality of oranges going to Sunkist Orange Plant. When oranges were off season, he went to work with his uncle, Bud who taught him his carpentry skills and his love of woodworking for 2 years. Martin and his brother, Ted came back to South Dakota in about 1948/49. He lived with Ted and they farmed together near Tabor. He met his first wife, Margaret Kubal while working on her father’s farm and married on June 29, 1947 in Tabor, SD. Born to this union are twin daughters, Margaret “Peg” and Patricia “Pat”. They lived on Martin’s uncle Joseph and Kate Straka farm south of Tabor and later moved to an acreage outside of Lesterville, SD. His wife, Margaret passed away in 1958.

Martin decided to get back into carpentry again, so he worked and later managed Tabor Lumber and started the Tabor Co-Op, which he managed for over 10 years. He built many buildings, the picnic shelter in the park and his own house in Tabor over the years. He was elected Mayor of Tabor and was involved with Czech Days celebrations. He met his second wife, Joan A. Hermann and married July 5, 1965 in De Smet, SD. They lived in Tabor for several years. Wanting to expand his carpentry skills, he purchased David City Lumber in David City, Nebraska in 1970. He retired in 1988 and moved to Omaha. Here is where Martin joined Habitat for Humanity and volunteered his carpentry skills. Martin and Joan moved to Yankton to be near family. Once again, Martin never rested. He worked with Habitat in Yankton to build and complete more than 33 homes in his retirement years. He also built the cabins, retreat center and other projects for Broom Tree Retreat Center. Many other accomplishments and fondest memories he cherished were building the rectory for Sacred Heart Church and other wood projects for the church as well as making several crucifixes for the hospital in Yankton. Memories of his carpentry skills he gave to family was a cane rocking chair, china cabinets, several styles of clocks including a grandfather clock, rolltop desk, spinning wheel, end tables and coffee tables. Martin also was ahead of times and flipped many houses in Yankton. He loved traveling, snow skiing in Colorado, old cars and machinery and antiques. Martin was a member of Sacred Heart Church, Knights of Columbus, and a member for 78 consecutive years to the Tabor Legion and was the last living WWII member in the Tabor Legion until his death.

Martin will be cherished by his wife, Joan of Yankton and daughter, Margaret “Peg” (Bob) Gilley of Omaha; as well as many other relatives.

He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Margaret; daughter, Patricia “Pat” Running; brothers: Theodore “Ted”, Benedict “Ben” Adolph, and Frank Mazourek and sister, Leona Cwach.