Floyd Vrtiska held many roles over the course of his life, but through all of them, he strove to help people. Â
Vrtiska, who died Tuesday at 93, served as a state senator representing District 1 in Southeast Nebraska for 12 years. He also served 24 years as a Pawnee County commissioner and eight years as mayor of his hometown of Table Rock.
As a senator, he worked to improve Peru State College, create a grant program for economic and community development in rural areas and get the Tecumseh State Correctional Institution up and running.Â
Vrtiska was also a lifelong farmer and longtime chief of Table Rock's volunteer fire department.
His daughter, Terri Vrtiska, said he loved driving around his legislative district and he and his late wife Doris attended every event in Table Rock, from dinners to funerals.Â
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She said he always volunteered to help with anything without asking questions. Â
“He would be the first one out the door to volunteer," she said. "He didn’t think about how much time it would take, he didn’t think about how much it would cost, he just pitched in and did what you needed to do."
Floyd Vrtiska was appointed to the Nebraska State Historical Society board of trustees in 2005 and was given a distinguished service award by Peru State in 2018.
Vrtiska was born on Oct. 12, 1926, to Rudolph and Ida Vrtiska of Table Rock. He grew up during the Great Depression and he and his twin brother Lloyd worked to save their family farm, his daughter said.
Late in his life, he continued to tell stories in great detail about his experiences during the Depression and people would gather around to hear them, Terri said.
“He filled up a room,†she said. “He was a force of nature.â€
Hundreds of people have paid tribute to Vrtiska on Facebook, Terri said. One post came from current District 1 Sen. Julie Slama.Â
"Senator Vrtiska was a tireless public servant and exemplary leader for Southeast Nebraska," Slama's post read.
Over recent years, Vrtiska lived at a care facility in Lincoln. Visiting him during the pandemic was difficult, Terri said, but his family had many window visits with him. One recent day, Terri said the family was able to take Vrtiska for one last drive out to the farm.Â
Vrtiska had three children and five grandchildren, which Terri said he all loved equally. His entire family was by his bedside when he died.
Services will be Sunday. A visitation will take place from 2-4 p.m. at Table Rock Methodist Church, with a procession following at 4:15 p.m. The procession will pass meaningful places in Vrtiska's life and end at the Table Rock cemetery. A celebration of life will begin at 5 p.m.Â
“I think it will feel like that on Sunday — the whole town wanting to celebrate someone who was an important part of the community,†Terri Vrtiska said.