Rose Bedlan

Notes:

The daughter of John BEDLAN and Johanna JANOUS. She had six sisters: Lula TISCHER, Emma BEDLAN, Eliza ZEMAN, Mary STEINACHER, Anna KOTAS and Mrs. Lewis ZEMAN, and four brothers, Joe, Emil, Frank and Edward. (Milligan, p 344).

Rose married Emil Koahler on 25 Nov 1896 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Emil (son of Frantisek "Frank" K?hler and Marie "Mary" Zinter) was born on 22 Jun 1870 in Bohemia; died on 10 Dec 1940 in Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Emma married James Vavra on 26 Jun 1917. James was born on 14 Mar 1896 in Liberty Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska; died on 22 Nov 1973; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Mollie was killed in a car accident when she was only 52. (Milligan, p 344).

Mollie married Frank Votipka before 1921. Frank was born on 16 Nov 1897; died on 4 Aug 1956; was buried in Exeter Cemetery, Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Alice married James Fred Bernasek on 18 Jun 1924 in Belleville, Republic County, Kansas. James (son of Frantisek "Frank" Bernasek and Josefa Fujan) was born on 16 Sep 1901 in Glengary Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska; died on 19 Jul 1991 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried on 22 Jul 1991 in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Lillian married Edward Vavra on 23 Oct 1930. Edward was born on 12 Aug 1906 in Liberty Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska; died on 5 Jul 1995 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Vavra -- Leslie D., 83, Geneva, died Monday (1/29/01). Born, Friend.

Survivors: wife, Evelyn A.; sons, Jerry, Gates, Ore., Paul, Cheyenne, Wyo., Michael, Wichita, Kan., Joel, Crete; daughters, Connie Koenig, Brunswick, Md., Ann Rhoads, Wichita, Paula Anderson, Geneva; brother, Milton, Milligan; 21 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren.

Services: 10 a.m. Friday, St. Joseph Catholic Church, Geneva. Church cemetery. Visitation: beginning 1 p.m. Thursday, Farmer & Son Funeral Home, Geneva. Rosary: 7:30 p.m. Thursday, funeral home. Memorials to family in lieu of flowers.

Leslie married Evelyn Ann Kempkes on 15 May 1939 in Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Evelyn was born on 26 Jul 1921 in Crete, Saline County, Nebraska; died on 22 May 2016 in Fairmont, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Milton married Virginia Mary Wright on 2 Sep 1947 in Ohiowa, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Virginia was born on 26 Mar 1927 in Fillmore County, Nebraska; died on 11 Oct 2012 in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Thomas D. Votipka, 87, of Exeter, Neb., died Sunday (12/13/09) in Friend, Neb. Born to Frank and Mollie (Kohler) Votipka on October 1, 1922 at Exeter, Neb.
Survivors: wife, Lea Ann, Exeter; sons, Bob and wife Barb, Exeter, Ron and wife Michele, Roca; daughter, Marsha Turbett, Lincoln; seven grandchildren; three great grandchildren.
Funeral services 10 a.m. Thursday, St. Stephen's Catholic Church, Exeter, Neb. Rosary service at the Farmer Funeral Home in Exeter. Visitation 1 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Farmer Funeral Home, Exeter. Memorials are directed to the Exeter American Legion, St. Stephen's Catholic Church, Exeter or Friend Rescue Squad. Military graveside services Exeter Cemetery, Exeter, Neb. Farmer and Son Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

(From the December 15, 2009 Lincoln Journal Star, courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy)

Notes:

A Funeral Service for Czech will be held on Wednesday, February 2, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at the Milligan Auditorium in Milligan, Nebraska. Kim Dunker will preside over the Funeral Service.

A Graveside Service will be held in the Bohemian National Cemetery following the Funeral Service.

A Public Visitation will be held at Farmer & Son Funeral Home in Geneva on Tuesday, February 1, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with family present from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Memorials are suggested to the Geneva Rescue Squad.

Norris Dean "Czech" Bernasek was born to Jim & Alice (Kohler) Bernasek on June 5, 1935 in Glengary Township, Fillmore County on a farmstead. He passed away on Saturday, January 29, 2022 at Fillmore County Hospital at the age of 86 years, 7 months, and 24 days. He was the only child born to this union.

Norris attended Country School District 34, just off of Highway 41 when he was 4 years old. He graduated from Geneva High School in 1952. He played high school sports, including football, basketball, and baseball. After high school, Norris attended Hastings College on a football scholarship. Norris joined the Army a few years later but was released in early 1959 to come home and help his father with the farm.

Norris married Lois on May 18, 1958. Through their union of marriage, 4 children were born: Cindi, Kevin, Michelle, and Tami.

Norris and Lois divorced and Norris married Nancy Kalvoda on October 12, 1988 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Through marriage, He acquired two step children: Christina and Cassandra, who he raised like his own.

Norris loved music. In his younger years, he played drums in various bands, including the Platte Valley Countrymen Band.

In their time together, Norris and Nancy enjoyed dancing, fishing, boating, and camping in luxury at Kansas Lakes Lovewell and Glen Elder. Gambling was another activity they both enjoyed doing together. Norris also enjoyed gardening including tilling the ground, planting, watering, and watching his crops grow. Norris was always a lover of animals, going so far as to name his cattle, with his favorite being "Shakey." Norris was also a huge sports fan and hardly missed a game by his favorite teams, often sitting in his recliner watching intently.

Norris was preceded in death by his parents, Jim & Alice Bernasek; and granddaughters Brittany Rainey and Anasthasta Rainey.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Kalvoda; children Cynthia (Bernasek) & Mike Andreasen, Kevin Bernasek & significant other Karen Hoffman, Michelle (Bernasek) Lemke, Tami (Bernasek) & Ken Vodicka, Christina (Kalvoda) & Tod Davenport and Cassandra (Kalvoda) Wilkerson; and grandchildren Danny, Jeff, Jill, Charlotte, Allie, Sydney, Tyler, Trevor, Tristian, Dylan, Sarah, Anna, Maddison, Davis, Harper, Tristan, Hunter, Dominic, Savannah, and Blakely; and great grandchildren Boden, Hayden, Codie, Riley, Ryan, Brenden, Link, Clara, Mila, Bristol, Katherine and Kaden.


(Courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy, from Farmer & Son Funeral Home)

Notes:

A Memorial Service for Stu will be held on Monday, December 31, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. at the Milligan Auditorium in Milligan, Nebraska. Kim Dunker will officiate the service.

A private family committal of ashes will take place in the Bohemian National Cemetery in Milligan.

Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation.

Stuart Lee Vavra was born on April 11, 1941, on the family farm north of Milligan, Nebraska, to Edward and Lillian (Kohler) Vavra and passed away on December 28, 2018, at his home at the age of 77 years, 8 months, and 17 days. He was one of three children in the family.

He attended rural school District #6 and graduated from eighth grade. He then attended Milligan High School and graduated in 1958 with a class of seven. Stuart was united in marriage to Janet Ann Garrett, on March 8, 1963, in Geneva, Nebraska. To this union two daughters were born: Jana Marie and Jodene Renae. Together they made their home on the farm northwest of Milligan.

Stuart worked for Lincoln Prestress, Dobson Brothers, Maury Nichols, Fillmore County, and L.J. Webb from working in the oilfields of Wyoming as a roustabout, operating heavy equipment and later building bridges and boxed culverts. He farmed the 80 acres he lived on, but his true passion was fabricating race cars. "Super Stu" started his racing career in 1958 at the age of 17 at Capitol Beach in Lincoln. The first car he ever raced was a 1932 Ford Sedan with an Olds Rocket 88 engine with the #6X. In 1967 he raced and drove a 1936 Plymouth Coupe with the #35 and his last car he ever raced was a 1979 purple Chevy Camaro. He had a very devoted pit crew, sponsors and many fans which made his success possible. During his racing career, he placed in the top ten in season points every year from 1967-1982. He met many dear friends and racers traveling from racetrack to racetrack. In 1982 after 24 years of capturing the checkered flag and competing at 17 different race tracks throughout Nebraska and Kansas, he decided to hang up his racing helmet. Super Stu was inducted into the Beatrice Speedway Hall of Fame on November 1, 2003, was a long-time member of the Central Nebraska Racing Association, and a member of the Good Old Time Racing Association (GOTRA). After Stu retired from circling the racetracks, he spent his later years helping his twin grandsons work on their race cars and giving them advice in his shop over a beer or two. He drew great pride in watching them compete.

He also enjoyed attending his granddaughter's school events, fishing with them, and giving each of them driving lessons. He was extremely proud of all the grandchildren's' accomplishments.

After the passing of Janet, he reconnected with a dear life-long friend, Mary Drake. Their friendship started six decades ago with her late husband, Ike Drake. Stu, Janet, Ike, Mary and all their children shared many years of fun and memories. Over the past five years, Stu and Mary continued to enjoy each other's company and made many more memories.

Stu was preceded in death by his wife, Janet; his parents, Edward and Lillian Vavra; father-in-law and mother-in-law, Pete and Edna Garrett; brother-in-law, Victor Hladky; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Dean and Charlotte Garrett; and niece Shelby Lemke.

He is survived by daughter and son-in-law, Jana and Billy Slezak of Milligan; daughter and son-in-law, Jodene and Tom Lovegrove of Fairmont; grandchildren, Shane and wife Jasmine Slezak; Shawn and wife Jennifer Slezak; Taylor Slezak and fianc? Joey Gilmer all of Milligan; Whitney Lovegrove and Sydney Lovegrove of Fairmont; sister, Shirley Hladky of Seward; brother and sister-in-law, Edwin and Beth Vavra of Milligan; special friend,
Mary Drake of Dorchester and family; great grandchildren Noah, Lily, Kaydence, Jade and Lennon; special furry companion, Zoie; nieces and nephew and a host of other relatives and friends.

Courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy, from Farmer and Sons Funeral Home

Stuart married Janet Ann Garrett on 8 Mar 1963 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Janet was born on 5 May 1940 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska; died on 18 Dec 2012 in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]