Irene Bucek Kocurek was born August 16, 1912 in Komensky, Texas and died May 8, 2017 in San Antonio at 104 and a half years old.  Named Irene Adella she was the youngest of four children and only daughter of Frank Karel Bucek and Agnes Krupala Bucek.  The family moved to Hallettsville in 1920 when her school teacher father bought a grocery store and became a businessman.

Irene graduated from Hallettsville High School in 1930 and attended San Marcos College before transferring to the University of Texas in Austin where she graduated in 1935 with Bachelors of Science in Education and Home Economics.  She returned to Hallettsville where she taught second grade before she married Arnold J. Kocurek at the Sacred Heart Church August 11, 1936.  She moved to San Antonio and had four children.  They were very active in the local religious and business community and when the Investment Bankers of America held their annual meeting in San Antonio in 1970, she was in charge of 300 Banker's wives that she led on tours of the Historic Mission, the Spanish Governor's Mansion, the River Walk and McNay Art Museum.

The couple moved to Medina Ranch in 1980 where they enjoyed boating, fishing and gardening.  She and her husband were world travelers and visited over 100 countries.  She traveled alone on Holy Pilgrimages including the site of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico, Our Lady of Lourdes Statue in France and the Holy Land where she walked the Stations of the Cross, visited the site of the crucifixion and attended Mass in the Tomb of Jesus Christ.  Irene was a member of the Altar Society of the St. Monica's Guild, the Catholic Daughters of America, the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem and the Tiffany Circle of the American Red Cross.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Agnes Bucek, brothers, George, Julius and Erwin, her beloved husband Arnold, her sons, Arnold, Bobby and Barry and her grandson, Trey Kocurek.  She is survived by her daughter, Mary Kocurek, granddaughters, Suzanne Kocurek Schmaltz and Karen Ray, great-grandsons, Trenton Kelly, Parker Ray and Paden Kocurek, and many loving nephews, nieces and their children.

She was the oldest member of the Bucek and Kocurek families and will be missed by all who were lucky enough to know her.

FUNERAL SERVICES

MEMORIAL CONTRIBUTIONS

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Irene's name
to a charity of your choice.