Jasek and Zatopek Families Mark 70th Reunion
Descendants of the Jasek and Zatopek families will gather for their 70th reunion Sunday, July 21 at St. Mary’s Parish Hall near Ellinger.
The reunion was started in 1953 by two cousins, Willie Jasek (1896-1982) and Elo Zatopek (1902-1976), both of whom were in their 50s at the time. The two, who were also good friends, apparently wanted to reconnect with each other and their families in the aftermath of WWII.
For most of the 70 years (no reunion in 2020 due to pandemic), the reunion was held in Fayetteville, but the most recent have been at St. Mary’s. The gathering begins with a mass at 10 a.m. at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fayetteville. Registration starts at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s.
In addition to a pot-luck lunch, the families share family history information and photos, recognize accomplishments, and honor memories of deceased loved ones. All are encouraged to bring an item for a silent auction, with proceeds paying for expenses.
Both families trace their heritage to the Moravian region of what is now the Czech Republic. The Jaseks came from Hovezi, and the Zatopeks from Trojanovice. They settled mostly in Texas near towns like Fayetteville, Weimar, La Grange and Columbus. The two families became entwined when John Jasek (1869-1963) married Veroika Zatopek (1869-1955) Jan. 13, 1891.
Members of both families made their living as farmers, although Leo and his brother Bill Zatopek formed a company in West that distributed gasoline and other oil products to stores and gas stations in McLennan and Hill Counties.
Family members come to the reunion from all over Texas as well as other states such as Louisiana, Minnesota, and California. In addition, the Zatopek family corresponds with a distant cousin, Karel, in the old country via email and Facebook.
Officers are elected every year to organize and staff each reunion. John Gully of Cypress is reunion president. For more information, contact him at (281) 703-0797 or johngully30@gmail.com. Information is also available on Facebook.