God has not promised
Skies always blue,
Flower-strewn pathways
All our lives through;
God has not promised
Sun without rain,
Joy without sorrow,
Peace without pain.

But God has promised
Strength for the day,
Rest for the labor,
Light for the way,
Grace for the trials,
Help from above,
Unfailing sympathy,
and Undying Love......

June 7, 2007
Reverend Daniel R. Dernek
1936 - 2007

The journey of my earthly life began February 6, 1936, being born in the love of Richard and Bernadine (Kukowski) Dernek on an amazing island called Winona, where the mighty Mississippi flows from West to East between majestic hills and bluffs.

Learning to live together in God's love was always nurtured by my parents in the home; at family picinics in area parks; on the sandbars; hiking along the river bottoms and hilly trails, watching the Winona Chiefs at Gabrych Park unless the mayflies took over; ice-skating at East End Rec with visits to the warming-house and absorbing the cozy heat from the pot-belly stove; and enjoying the annual bird migration along with the seasonal changing of
vegetation throughout the landscape of the Hiawatha Bluffs.

My social skills were cultivated while delivering daily newspapers and collecting on Friday as a paper boy at the Winona Republican Herald. I learned a lot about river courtesy through many old-time river rats like Shorty who taught me to slow-down when passing other boats while cane pole fishing on the wingdams, and extending a hello sign to Catfish Mary who was
frequently drying her nets on a sandbar above Fountain City, WI.

My formal education started in the little brick schoolhouse called St. John's and continued at Cotter High School where I graduated in 1953...the first co-educational class. Wow! I like that! After a few years I entered I.H.M. Seminary preparing to become a Catholic priest, and was ordained on May 31, 1962.

During the years as an active priest my experiences included: teaching at Lourdes High School; visiting the sick at Rochester Methodist Hospital; involvement in many parishes ranging from Winona to St. Peter; Newman Center Chaplain with college students and 23 years ministry as a chaplain in mental health institutions such as Rochester State Hospital and St. Peter Regional Treatment Center. Those areas of ministry contributed immensely to my
maturation as a person and priest. I've gained an awareness into God's love for all, God's Presence in all and a growing appreciation of how God's presence works through all.

I use the word 'all' because it encompasses the connectedness we have with all Creation. The beauty we see all the time on this island and surrounding area is second to none. Seeing it as a sacred gift, we as stewards, can continue the process of respecting, restoring, protecting and preserving the gift. Then it's easy to make the transfer to human beings...not only as a
person who lives next door but as a neighbor where all can be at home in God's love here and now; here in this river community and now in the present moment.

Personally, I thank you for the many ways in which you have touched my earthly journey especially during the cancerous disease...moment-by-moment.  It has helped me maintain a positive attitude. I am very blest with your presence and support. Bless you for it knowing you are loved!

Father Dan is survived by his loving family; sister, Gerri McElmury of White Bear Lake, MN.; brother, Rev. Richard J. Dernek, Blooming Prairie, MN.; nieces, Mary Sue (Brent) Millard, Jennifer (Ryan) Manning; nephews, Michael (Kristin) McElmury and Richard (Tonya) McElmury. Great nieces and nephews, Conner and Tyler McElmury, Bradley, Spencer and AnnaMarie Millard, Grace, Sarah and Brady McElmury.

Father Dan was preceded in death by his parents and a nephew, Daniel McElmury.

A Mass of Christian Burial to celebrate Father Dan's life will be on Saturday, June 9, 2007 at 10:30A.M. at St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, with his brother Rev. Richard J. Dernek as celebrant, and Richard S. McGuire and Thomas Hargesheimer concelebrating. Private family interment will be at St. Mary's Cemetery, Winona.

Friends may call on Friday, June 8, 2007 from 4-9PM at the Fawcett-Junker Funeral Home where there will be a prayer service at 8PM lead by Rev. Christine Robinson and Mary Jo Keiper. Friends may also call on Saturday from 9:30AM to time of services at the church.

Casket bearers will be Kim Bartelson, Len Kulas, Jerry Miller, Mort Nicholas, Mike Pellowski, Richard Schindler, and John Staige

Honorary bearers are Francis Cisewski and Merle Blong

Services entrusted to Fawcett-Junker Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Winona.

Words of sympathy and remembrance may be left at
www.fawcett-junkerfuneralhome.com