Kovarik, Genevieve "Gen" Marie Emma (Praska) 1929 - 2022
KOVARIK, PRASKA, PANOCH, ZWEIBAHMER, NORTH, MURRAY, MICHENER, LUDEKING, SONNABEND
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 16:07:20
Genevieve ‘Gen’ (Praska) Kovarik, 92, passed away Feb. 4, 2022 at her home surrounded by family. She went to be with her husband Paul in heaven on his birthday.
Genevieve Marie Emma Praska was born Dec. 30, 1929 to James and Cecelia (Panoch) Praska, on a farm in Howard County, east of Lourdes. She was the only daughter, the youngest of four children.
When Gen started school at Lady of Lourdes she couldn’t speak much English only Czech, but she was a quick learner. She graduated from Assumption High School in Cresco before going off to Iowa State Teacher College in Cedar Falls. She then taught at New Oregon #6 in Howard County.
Gen married Paul Kovarik on June 13, 1951. They farmed and raised their four children west of Protivin. She was proud to be a farmer’s wife and worked hard along-side Paul, doing chores and driving tractors in between cooking meals and sewing clothes.
In their retirement years Paul and Gen stayed busy around the farm and wintered in Arizona. Gen kept a large garden until she was nearly ninety, preserving more canned vegetables than she would ever need in a lifetime. Fresh baked bread and sweet treats could always be found in her kitchen. No one ever left her home hungry or without a “thanks for everything, come again” as they walked out the door.
In the years after Paul passed, she wrote and published two books of memories and family history of which she was very proud and gifted to her family. She enjoyed playing cards and trips to the casino.
Gen passed down the art of Kolache baking and hard work to the three generations surviving her. Her children Karen (Edward) Zweibahmer, Michigan City, Ind.; Patricia (Clint) North, Wickenburg, AZ; Cheryl Murray, Decorah and Kevin (Carol) Kovarik, Protivin. Four grandchildren: Donna (John Michener) Zweibahmer, Samantha (Evan) Ludeking, Alex (Christina) Murray and Paula (Josh) Sonnabend and five greatgrandchildren, Madilyn and Jack Michener, Tatum Murray and Grace and Everly Ludeking.
Preceding Genevieve in death were her parents James and Cecelia; her husband Paul in 2007; her three brothers and their wives, Jerome (Alice), Roger (Alice) and James (Dorothy).
Funeral services for Genevieve will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 8, 2022 at Holy Trinity Parish in Protivin, IA with Father Daniel Knipper officiating. Burial will take place in the church cemetery. Visitation will be held from 4-7 p.m. at Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home in Protivin on Monday, February 7 and will continue from 10-11 a.m. at the church Tuesday morning. The Rosary will be recited at 3:30 p.m. on Monday prior to the visitation.
Source: Hindt Funeral Home database
Holy Trinity Cemetery
Howard Obituaries maintained by Constance McDaniel Hall.
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