Betty Ann Soukup

1923 - 2013  (90 years)

• Name	Betty Ann Soukup  [1, 2]
  Birth	13 Mar 1923	Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska   [1, 2]
  Gender	Female
  Death	23 Sep 2013	Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska   [2]
  Burial	Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska   [2]
  Notes	Betty Ann (Soukup) Smetana was born March 13, 1923 on the family farm northeast of Milligan to James and Anna (Svehla) Soukup. On September 23, 2013, she passed away at the age of 90 years, 6 months, and 10 days at the Exeter Care Center. She was one of three children in the family. Betty attended Praire Queen District 48 Country School through the eighth grade and graduated high school in Milligan with the Class of 1940. Betty's dad took her and her sister Geri to Tabor Hall to a polka dance, where she met Fritz Smetana, and after a short courtship they were married in Marysville, Kansas on December 20,1941. After marriage they lived on several farms and settling for several years on the Evelyn Clark Farm. In 1989, they bought a house in Milligan, in which they were very proud of. This was the first time they had running water and telephone. Betty was a hard worker all her life. On the farm she raised chickens, mowed the lawn and did a lot of baking. She was step for step with Fritz on the farm helping wherever she could. She was very much involved in the farming operation even after Fritz's passing, and renting of the farm, she would drive out to the farm and inspect the planting, spraying and harvesting. She had a prime seat at her kitchen window during harvest watching the farmers bring in grain. Before Fritz's passing they enjoyed going to polka dances especially at Pleasant Hill on Sunday evening. Betty also enjoyed going to Ron's Tavern drinking coffee and visiting with her friends. After her sister Geri's health began to decline she unselfishly took care of her, and when Geri entered the Exeter Care Center, Betty would go visit her every week and maybe twice a week to take Geri some goodies. Betty celebrated her 90th birthday on March 13, 2013 with a surprise birthday party at Ron's Tavern with her friends. She said it was her best birthday ever. Betty was preceded in death by an infant sister Dorothy, her parents and parents-in-law, husband, Fritz and brother-in-law Rudy Oliva. She is survived by sister, Geraldine Oliva of the Exeter Care Center, Nephews, Arlan and Eileen Oliva of Scottsdale, AZ, Dennis and Donna Oliva of Milligan, NE, Lambert and Delores Slepicka of Wilber, NE, nieces, Charlotte Sullivan of Norfolk, NE, Evelyn Kantor of Lincoln, NE, great niece, Lindsey and Shane Stone of Hastings, NE, great nephews, Colten and Nathan Oliva both of Milligan, NE and several cousins and host of friends. Funeral services 2 p.m., Thursday, at the Farmer & Son Funeral Home-Kotas Chapel in Milligan, NE. Visitation from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. Wednesday at the Kotas Chapel in Milligan. Memorials to Milligan Rescue Unit in lieu of flowers. Burial in the Bohemian National Cemetery. Condolences www.farmerandsons.com (Courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy)
  Person ID	I43782	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	14 Dec 2014

  
  

  Father	James Soukup,   b. 15 Jul 1889, Nebraska d. 16 Nov 1969, Friend, Saline County, Nebraska (Age 80 years)
  Mother	Anna Svehla,   b. 12 Oct 1895, Nebraska d. 20 Jun 1968, Friend, Saline County, Nebraska (Age 72 years)
  Marriage	21 Sep 1918	Nebraska
  	He and Anna were not listed in the same household at the time of the 1920 census.
  Family ID	F13019	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Fred J. "Fritz" Smetana,   b. 14 Jun 1918, Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska d. 23 Mar 2001, Friend, Saline County, Nebraska (Age 82 years)
  Marriage	20 Dec 1941	Kansas   [2]
  Family ID	F13020	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	26 Sep 2013

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 13 Mar 1923 - Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska Marriage - 20 Dec 1941 - Kansas Death - 23 Sep 2013 - Exeter, Fillmore County, Nebraska Burial - - Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S564] 1930 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com. database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: The Generations Network, Inc., 2002., (Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls. Containing records for approximately 123 million Americans, the 1930 United States Federal Census is the largest census released to date and is the most recent census available for public access. The census gives us a glimpse into the lives of Americans in 1930, and contains information about a household?s family members and occupants including: birthplaces, occupations, immigration, citizenship, and military service. The names of those listed in the census are linked to actual images of the 1930 Census.), Nebraska, Saline, Atlanta ED 1 (Reliability: 3). [S548] Belohlavy, Dennis (belohdb@windstream.net) "Family Tree of Dennis L. and Rebecca J. "Becky" (Arnold) Belohlavy ; http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=belohlavy, (http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=belohlavy).