| Maxine G. Skarka |

Maxine G. Skarka, 95, of Grand Island passed away on Wednesday, March 18, 2026.

Funeral services and a celebration of “Max’s” life were held on Wednesday, March 25th, at All Faiths Funeral Home. There was a visitation at the funeral home prior to the service. Private burial will be in the Ord Cemetery.

Maxine was born November 28, 1930, to Frank and Veronica (Baker) Damratowski.

She was raised on a farm west of Loup City attending rural school and high school to the 10th grade, when she was needed to help on the farm. During the ‘30’s, drought plagued the area and the challenges were many.

In 1949, Maxine married Floyd Shotkowski.

They farmed near Ord and later ran a grocery store in Ord. One daughter (Betty Shotkowski Young) was born to the couple. Maxine resided in Ord after Floyd’s passing, often working two or three jobs at once in retail stores, bartending, lawn maintenance, cleaning local businesses and attending every garage sale possible.

She could not pass up the lure of “one more bargain”, finding many treasures in her quest for the “big one”.

Maxine married Harold Skarka in 1995. They made their home in Grand Island.

Maxine loved to travel and marveled at the many interesting and unique attractions of the Midwest. She and Harold loved to dance to Bohemian music. Their travels allowed them to attend many dance festivals in the Midwest and beyond. The couple visited the Czech Republic five times to savor the authentic cuisine and music.

Maxine was an excellent cook and prepared Polish and Czech cuisine authentically and deliciously. She loved to work in the garden and tended many flower and vegetable beds. Max was a passionate fan of NASCAR, knowing all the drivers and car numbers. The resident finches and Petey the squirrel/s were well fed and called by name.

Survivors who cherish her memory include her husband, Harold; daughter Betty (Bill) Young; sister, Mary Ellen Damratowski; sister-in-law, Vivian Damratowski; three grandchildren, Kelly (Chris) DeCosta, Kurtis Young and Kristopher Young; two great grandchildren, Elliot and Hazel DeCosta; and numerous nieces and nephews. She is also survived by stepchildren, Don Skarka, Larry (Shirley) Skarka, Dorothy (Dan) Eschliman, and Randy (Brenda) Skarka; eleven step-grandchildren, twenty-three step great- grandchildren, and numerous step-nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her beloved parents; a husband, Floyd Shotkowski; brother and wife, Harold (Betty) Damratowski; sister and husband, Blanche (Roger) Ellsworth; and brother, Casey Damratowski; nephew, Randy Damratowski; stepdaughter, Dianne Shuda; stepdaughter- in-law, Nadine Skarka; and step-grandson, Michael Woelfel.

Memorials are suggested to the family to be designated at a later date.