VRCHOTA, Curtis Arthur 1916-2005

WINCHELL, VRCHOTA, LIBRA

Posted By: County Coordinator
Date: 2/27/2009 at 11:33:36

Curtis Arthur Vrchota
FORMERLY OF NORA SPRINGS

MASON CITY, IOWA — Curtis Arthur Vrchota, 89, of Mason City died Friday (May 13, 2005) of a heart attack while mowing the lawn.

Memorial services will be held at 1 p.m. Saturday at Wesley United Methodist Church, 1405 S. Pennsylvania Ave., with the Rev. Bill Poland officiating. Private family inurnment services will take place in Park Cemetery, Nora Springs.

A gathering of family and friends will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. today at Major Erickson Funeral Home, 111 N. Pennsylvania Ave., Mason City.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given directly to the Curtis and Verna Vrchota Memorial Fund, c/o Community National Bank, 100 E. State St., Mason City.

Curt was born May 9, 1916, the first of three sons of Frank and Mary (Libra) Vrchota, in Mason City. His father passed away in 1922 and his mother remarried in 1928. In 1929, the family moved to Nora Springs. Curt graduated from Nora Springs High School in 1934. He was known for his baseball pitching ability and graduated as valedictorian.

Curt married Verna Ruth Winchell, also of Mason City, in Albert Lea, Minn., in 1940. They made their home in Mason City at 12th St. S.E. where they raised six children. After spending five years at his first steady job at the DeWitt farm northeast of town, Curt worked at Deckers Meat Packing Plant, in the lard and engineering departments, from 1941 until it closed in 1975. Then he worked for three years at American Education Association (AEA) where he was highly prized for his helpfulness as building custodian.

For the past 25 years, Curt served as usher and greeter most Sundays at Wesley United Methodist Church. Many friends looked forward to Curt's visits when they were in the hospital or nursing home. He was famously known to the neighborhood children as "Grandpa Gumball."

Curt met most weekday mornings with his coffee group at Hardees. He tended a "Victory Garden" in his backyard since 1940 and shared his abundant fruits and vegetables. Curt and Verna enjoyed taking seniors bus trips around the area.

Curt is survived by sons LeRoy of Azusa, Calif., and Dale (Carol) of Louisburg, N.C.; daughters Janet (Mario) of New York City, Jolene (Joe Schneider) of Seattle, Wash., and Jean of Montgomery, N.Y.; grandsons, Chane Vrchota of Richmond, Va., Justin and Luke Riservato of New York City, and Shelley Vrchota of Des Moines; granddaughters, Alyssa and Lace Holland of New York City; brother, Roy of Florida; and sisters-in-law Glenafa Vrchota of Mason City and Gladys Renshaw of Burnsville, Minn.; and several cousins in the Jackson, Minn., area.

He is preceded in death on April 18, 2005, by his wife, Verna Winchell Vrchota of Mason City. He was also preceded in death by his son, Bruce Vrchota of Mason City, and brother Lester Vrchota of Mason City.

Major Erickson Funeral Home & Crematory, (641) 423-0924

[ Globe Gazette - May 20, 2005 ]