Albert Dean “Ike” Pecka, 87, passed away on Friday, February 22 in Spokane, Washington. Ike was born on January 16, 1932 in Dorchester, Nebraska to Albert V. and Tillie Vanek Pecka, the second of four children. When Ike was a child, his family moved to eastern Oregon, where he graduated from Nyssa High School in 1950. He attended Oregon Tech before returning home to help on the family farm. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1953, serving overseas in Japan (mostly on the island of Okinawa) before leaving active duty at the rank of staff sergeant in 1955. He married Rita Cornwell, his high school sweetheart and love of his life, in 1953. In 1955, they moved to Othello where they claimed a section of land through a land drawing, cleared it for farming and built a combination machine shed and small house. They lived for a time without running water, until they could save enough money to dig a well. He grew sugar beets, corn, alfalfa, beans and seed crops and planted fruit trees, berries and a vegetable garden. He kept a few head of cattle and raised pigs, chickens and turkeys as well as Shetland ponies for the kids.
Later, he became a maintenance mechanic first at the bean mill in Othello, then later at the Land O’ Lakes/Cenex feed mill where he worked until retiring. In retirement, Ike devoted himself to his large garden where he grew a variety of fruit, vegetables, flowers and herbs, generously donating fresh food to his family, friends and neighbors. A born farmer, his happiest hours in retirement were spent in his garden and helping his neighbor bale hay. There wasn’t anything he couldn’t fix or a mechanical problem he couldn’t solve (often using a piece of the baling wire he always had on hand in a pocket). He freely shared this ability with his neighbors, always willing to lend a helping hand.
Ike was a gifted athlete, good at every sport he tried. In high school, he lettered in football, basketball and track and received a football scholarship to Oregon Tech. Ike played football, basketball and boxed on USMC teams, played softball and basketball in Othello adult leagues, and was an avid golfer and bowler. He coached Little League baseball in Othello for many years and enjoyed keeping up with his former players, who often stopped him in town to tell him how much they appreciated the impact he had on them. He was a loyal fan of Othello High School sports teams and of the Seattle Mariners and Seahawks and Gonzaga University basketball.
In 2016, he moved to the Fairwinds Leisure Care community in Spokane, where he enjoyed making new friends, participating in activities and being close to several of his grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Papa Ike was a loving father, uncle, grandfather and great-grandfather. He and Grandma Rita loved going to auctions and yard sales and one of his prized purchases was a used golf cart, bought specifically for the grandkids to drive. His grandchildren loved the time they spent with him learning to fish, garden, change sprinklers, catch pollywogs, gather eggs and enjoy life in the country. He delighted in watching things grow, from his farm, his garden, his kids and grandkids to the neighbor kids. He quietly kept watch over the people he loved, taking pride and pleasure in their accomplishments, whether it was a good day fishing or a college graduation. His children remember a father who taught them by example the value of hard work, responsibility, integrity and family.
Ike will be greatly missed by his family and community, but he will live on in the life lessons he taught those he loved. Graveside services will take place at Bess Hampton Memorial Gardens, 1915 W. Cemetery Rd, Othello, WA on Saturday, March 30 at noon, followed by a reception at the Othello Senior Center located at 755 N 7th Avenue. In lieu of flowers, the family requests those who would like to honor Ike to make a contribution to the American Cancer Society or to their advocacy organization, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network, where his grandchild Mary is employed.
