Catherine J. Hajek, 79, Tampa, died Aug. 22, 2008, at St. Luke Hospital, Marion.

Born Aug. 24, 1928, at Tampa, she was the daughter of James and Anna (Noone) Costello.

She was a resident of the Tampa area all her life, where she raised her family and farmed.

On Sept. 17, 1949, she married Martin Hajek.

She was a member of Holy Family Parish, Holy Redeemer Catholic Church of Tampa, and active in the altar society.

She was preceded in death by her brothers, James, Gene, and Edward Costello.

Survivors include her husband, Martin of Tampa; son, John and Carla Hajek of Tampa; four daughters, Mary and Walt Whitchurch of Miami, Fla., Susan and Dennis Rowley of Chesapeake, Va., Joan and Steve Hillyer of Shawnee, and Diane and Steve Challacombe of Manhattan; three sisters, Anna Mary Bergkamp of Pretty Prairie, Rosemary Lewis of Wichita, and Florence Scanlan of Laguna Nigel, Calif.; and 17 grandchildren.

The rosary was recited Monday evening at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church, Holy Family Parish, Tampa.

The funeral Mass was said Tuesday morning at the church. Burial was in St. Mary’s Cemetery, Tampa.

A memorial fund has been established with the Tampa Community Association.