Helen (Kolar) Svoboda, 98, of Holdrege NE Formerly of Tekamah NE

HELEN (KOLAR) SVOBODA, 98 years of age, of Holdrege, Nebraska, formerly of Tekamah, Nebraska, passed away Thursday, September 11, 2014, at the Holdrege Memorial Homes.

She was born May 2, 1916, in Omaha, Nebraska, the second of three children born to Frank and Anna (Musil) Kolar. She received her education in Omaha, graduating from Omaha South High School with the class of 1933. After high school, Helen was employed by the Moore family in Omaha as a live-in nanny and house keeper for eight years.

In June of 1939, Helen was united in marriage to Joe Karlik. The couple made their home in Omaha. Joe passed away within a year after their marriage after contracting Tuberculosis. Following the death of her husband, Helen returned to school and received her Secretarial Associates Degree.

On March 6, 1943, Helen was united in marriage to Reuben E. Svoboda at Omaha and to this union five children were born: Rosemarie, Judith, Helen, Martha and Frank. The family made their home in Burt County, Nebraska, near Tekamah, where Helen was a devoted homemaker and farm wife, helping on the farm wherever needed. Helen was active in her children’s lives, and devoted to the First Presbyterian Church in Tekamah since 1948. She served as the church organist for many years, playing at Sunday services, as well as weddings and funerals. Helen was also active with the church women’s groups, served as an Elder, taught Sunday school, vacation bible school and youth group. She enjoyed many friendships through the years, being a member of the neighborhood club, Lower Arizona Kingsington Club in Tekamah. She was well known for her weekly social column in the Burt County Plain dealer in Tekamah. Reuben passed away on October 6, 1968. In the fall of 1996, Helen began to make her home in Holdrege to be near her family.

Besides her parents and husbands, Helen was preceded in death by two brothers, Frank Kolar who died in WWII and Anton Kolar; brothers-in-law, Adolph Svoboda, Ewald Svoboda and his wife, Lois, Richard “Bud” O’Brien, and Charles Peterson.

Helen is survived by her five children, Rosemarie Morrill of Sandford, NC, Judy McDonough and her husband, Merv of Camdenton, MO, Helen Wells and her husband, Gary of Holdrege, NE, Martha Svoboda of Lakewood, CO,  Frank Svoboda and his wife, Anita of Lake Ozark, MO; sisters-in-law, Julia O’Brien and Ruth Peterson both of Omaha, Geraldine Svoboda of Texas; 11 grandchildren; 20 great grandchildren; a host of great-great grandchildren; nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

FUNERAL SERVICE: Thursday, September 18, 2014, 2:00 p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church in Tekamah, Nebraska. Visitation will be held at the church one hour prior to the service.

VISITATION IN HOLDREGE: Tuesday, September 16, 2014, from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with the family greeting from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. with a 7:30 p.m. Prayer Service all at Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

BURIAL: Tekamah Cemetery

MEMORIALS: First Presbyterian Church in Tekamah, Holdrege Memorial Homes or the donor’s choice.

Please feel free to send your condolences to the family.
Each condolence will be printed and given to the family after the service.

Helen Svoboda

pelan@pelanfuneralservices.com