Theresa Stika

Theresa Stika, 75, of Newton, passed away on December 17th,  2021 at The Select Specialty Hospital within St.  Francis Hospital in Wichita, KS.  She was born on July 12, 1946 to Albert and Victorine (Lentz) Stika in Marion, KS.

She graduated from Centre High School near Lincolnville in 1964 and attended Wichita Business College graduating in 1965 with a general secretarial degree.

She worked as a medical transcriptionist and took direct dictation in the Radiology Department at the University of Kansas Medical Center in Kansas City, KS.  She started in 1965 and retired from state service in 1998. She went on to work at Diagnostic Technology Consultants from 1998 until her retirement in 2013.  Theresa was their executive secretary who was instrumental in client relations and daily support of operations.

She was a member of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Newton and was involved in their prayer blanket ministry and was also a member of the Cursillo Group at Sacred Heart Parish in Halstead.

Theresa loved to travel with family to such places as Czechoslovakia, Spain, Italy and many scenic sites such as The Grand Canyon, Colorado and The Black Hills.  She also loved taking group cruises and seeing different cultures.

She loved all her nieces and nephews and enjoyed attending school programs and boy scout events. She especially loved cooking a weekly evening dinner for her nephew Paul and her sister Elaine.

Theresa was such a gentle person with a quiet demeanor and sweet smile.  She enjoyed  making people happy and just loved life in general.

She is preceded in death by her parents Albert and Victorine, and an infant brother, Joseph Emil.

Theresa is survived by three sisters,  Mary Jo (Ladd) Siebert of Eureka,  SD, Juanita Bartley of Lebo,  KS,  Elaine Hayes of Burrton, KS and a brother Gene (Connie) Stika of Moundridge, KS; an aunt, Velma Steve of Aurora, CO, many nieces, nephews,  cousins and friends.

Visitation will be at Petersen Funeral Home in Newton, KS on Sunday, December 26 from 1-5 pm.  The family will receive friends from 2-3:30 pm during that time.  The funeral mass will be held at 11:00 am  on Monday,  December 27 with the Rosary preceding the mass at 10:30 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Newton, KS.  Burial will be at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Cemetery in Pilsen, KS at 3 pm on Monday, December 27th.

In Theresa’s honor, memorials may be made to the Father Emil J. Kapaun Guild in care of the funeral home.