Carolyn Stanek

Carolyn Kaye Stanek, 66, of Austin, passed away Sunday, November 3, 2024. 
Carolyn was born December 8, 1957, in Shiner to Edwin and Mary Pivonka Stanek. She was the fifth of six children.
Carolyn grew up in Shiner, attended St. Ludmila Academy and graduated from St. Paul High School with the Class of 1976 before attending business school in Austin. She had worked for the Texas Department of Health, which had undergone three name changes during her 30 plus year tenure as a State employee: Texas Department of Health, Texas Department of Aging and Disability Services, or DADS, and now Texas Health & Human Services Commission, or HHSC. 
She retired from HHSC in 2017. You could say Carolyn was a workaholic because while working for the State of Texas she also worked for the Federal Government, IRS, from April 1990 to October 2024 - 34 years.
Carolyn enjoyed and collected all genre of music CDs and movie DVDs, but her favorite were horror films. In her youth, she and her brother, Mark, oftentimes stayed up late Friday and Saturday nights watching movies on TV until the stations went off the air at two a.m. Mark said that he used to hide behind Carolyn watching the movie “Creature from the Black Lagoon”. She and Mark spent many a Sundays driving to Victoria taking in at least two or three movies and getting back home way past their curfew. 
Carolyn’s love of animals was another of her passions – she befriended and cared for many stray cats who would find their way to her door, and had a very special affection for her two beloved cats Princess and Sandi.
Carolyn is survived by her loving family: sister, Jo Ann Stanek Kostelnik of Yoakum; brothers, Robert Stanek of Bredenton, Florida, Doug Stanek (Janice) of Shiner and Mark Stanek of Houston; niece, Amanda Stanek Vychopen (Trey) of College Station, nephew, Nathan Stanek of College Station, nephew, Justin Klekar (Amanda) of Austin, niece, Kristin Klekar Hull of Belton; four great-nieces; and three great-nephews. 
She was preceded in death by her parents, Edwin and Mary Pivonka Stanek; sister, Marie Stanek; brother-in-law, Steve Kostelnik, Jr.; and sisters-in-law, Susan Brown and Diane Vancura Stanek.
Liturgical services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, November 22 at Shiner Funeral Home, Shiner.
Interment will follow in the Shiner Catholic Cemetery. 
Memorials may be made to the Lupus Foundation of America, www.lupus.org. 
Friends may leave their condolences for the family by visiting www.shinerfuneralhome.com. 
Services are under the care and direction of Shiner Funeral Home.