Shawn A. Ratkovec

Shawn A. Ratkovec, 36, of Abie, died Thursday, August 24, 2017 of natural causes in Rockwell City, Iowa.

There will be no viewing. Closed casket visitation.

IN LIEU OF FLOWERS AND PLANTS: Donations can be made at First National Bank for the benefit of Shawn's and Nicole's Children:
First National Bank, David City Branch
397 N. 4th Street
David City, Nebraska 68632

Shawn "Duder" Ratkovec was born on June 5, 1981 in David City, Nebraska to Lonnie and Marianne (Bohac) Ratkovec. He graduated from David City High School in 2000 and went to work for R & S Track Maintenance and helped his dad farm. Through friends and colleagues, he learned how to drive a semi which took him to various trucking jobs in the Adams, Seward, Wahoo, and Fremont areas until in 2003, when he started Small Town Trucking, LLC, as owner/operator. Behind his wife and children, the trucking business was something he enjoyed and had many trucking stories to tell. On May 28, 2011, he married Nicole June st St. Anthony's in Columbus, Nebraska, two children were born to this union.

Shawn was a hard worker, always busy either with trucking business, farm work with his dad, working in his shop or spending time with his wife, daughters, and family. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing, cooking, especially grilling and smoking meats. He had a love of spicy foods, a good soup and smoked meats. He even processed his own deer and wild game in his shop.

Shawn loved his family, especially his two daughters. He was a good and proud daddy as well as a loving husband. He would always have some advice for you, whether solicited or unsolicited, but that just went along with his ornery personality that was so loved, and will be so missed.

In May of 2017, Shawn went to work driving for Acord, which he really enjoyed and meant that he could have the weekends off to spend time with his family

Survivors: Wife; Nicole, Daughters: Mackenzie Rose and Isabella June, parents: Lonnie (Marianne) Ratkovec of Abie, grandmother: Rose Bohac of Valparaiso; Brother: Shane (Fiance: Malorie), Sisters: Kim Forney of Abie and Katie Dinkelman of Texas, 10 nieces and nephews: Lexi Forney, Calista, Riley, Logan and Liliana Ratkovec, Savannah and Jackson Gregory, A.J., T. J. and Annie Dinkelman. Mother-in-law and father-in-law: Gaylene (Don) Lant of Columbus, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Edward(Melody) Johnson of Sioux Falls, SD, and nephew, Xander.

He was preceded in death by Grandparents: Arthur and LaVena Ratkovec and Grandfather: Adolph Bohac.