The role of Chaplain in Hospice is a very special one. In Hospice, our patients and their families are accepted for whatever their spiritual beliefs are, even if they are agnostic.
We serve all if it is requested, or make sure spiritual needs are provided for.
A favorite Chaplain of ours was Pastor Robert Pekarski. He was passionate about his love for Jesus and His saving grace! Pastor Bob was also full of life, could mercilessly tease you (that is how you knew he liked you), and loved to interact with patients, families, and staff.
Bob was born in a mountain logging town north of Spokane in Washington State. We often talked about this since half of my maternal family lives in Washington State. Bob’s family later moved to Ohio. As a teen, Bob served his country in the Navy. He always had a calling to serve vets for the rest of his life. More on this later!
When Bob was in his thirties, his first wife died of complications in heart surgery, leaving him with 4 small children. Bob found a lifelong partner in Eve who had 3 children of her own and helped raise Bob’s children. They were a very bonded couple throughout their lives together. When Bob and Eve moved to Arizona, Bob had a successful pesticide business for many years, even continuing after he became a Hospice Chaplain.
Bob was ordained through Assemblies of God Church in Phoenix. I first met him when he was doing a worship service at Sunshine Village, a memory care program for persons with dementia. He continued this for many years. Bob and Eve were Mr. and Mrs. Santa Claus in settings such as this and went wherever they were invited. Bob continued playing Santa after Eve died, which he greatly enjoyed!
Bob served as a Chaplain in different Hospices. He not only helped patients and their families, but also the staff. One of my favorite memories of Bob was his sermon on the 23rd Psalm which he gave at different memorial services we held yearly for patients’ loved ones. You were never the same after one of his sermons! He could belt out the songs too!
I think one of Pastor Bob’s favorite roles was coordinating the We Honor Vets Program. This is a program of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization in conjunction with the Department of Veterans Affairs to provide services and resources, compassionate listening, and acknowledgment of their service at the end of life. Pastor Bob would make home visits to present special plaques or other mementos to the vets and/or their families and/or attend their memorial services and present these to the family.
Pastor Bob also served vets and their families through a local homeless shelter which he tirelessly promoted! Pastor Bob helped start a Hospice support dinner and got me to become the contact person! We were able to celebrate his 84th birthday! We have met quarterly for 6 years till Covid and will be meeting again!
Pastor Bob finally needed to go to a group home due to health issues and was welcomed into one in which he had served as Chaplain. He was in 7th heaven with all the ladies there! We lost Pastor Bob this past March and due to Covid, we had not been able to visit in the past year.
Even though we miss you and love you so much Pastor Bob, we know you are in Heaven with your beloved Eve doing your thing!
Blessings,
Carolyn
PS: We got a new precious lab/corgi mix doggie on Saturday and you will meet her soon!
