Irma N Svoboda, 04 June 1910 - 10 Mar. 2006

SVOBODA, BODDICKER, SCHULTE

Posted By: Netha M Meyer (email)
Date: 3/13/2006 at 08:15:03

AMANA
Gazette, The (Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, IA)
March 12, 2006
Irma N. Svoboda, 95, died Friday, March 10, 2006, in Linn Manor Care Center, Marion. Funeral Mass: 10:30 a.m. Monday, St. Patrick Catholic Church, Fairfax, by Father Phil Thompson. Burial will follow services in Hala Cemetery, near Walford. Visitation will be from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Brosh Chapel, Cedar Rapids, where there will be a 3 p.m. rosary and a 4 p.m vigil. Visitation will also be an hour prior to services at the church.
Irma was born June 4, 1910, on the family farm in rural Linn County, the daughter of Frank and Bertha Boddicker Schulte. Irma married Emil L. Svoboda on June 21, 1933, at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Walford. She worked for over 25 years at the Ox Yoke in Amana and also helped farm.

In the early 1970s she enrolled in LaSalle Extension University of Chicago, where she successfully completed two years correspondence study in interior design. In the mid 1980s, Emil and Irma obtained a "Century Farm" designation for their farm near Amana, the land having been in the Svoboda family more than 100 years. She guided restoration of their Victorian-era farmhouse and associated barn, both of which were built in 1898 by Emil's parents, Andrew and Barbara Svoboda.

Irma enjoyed spending time with family especially grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. She had a keen mind for politics and loved to bake kolaches, plant flowers and trees, enjoy nature and watch birds.

Irma is survived by a son, Conrad (Diann) Svoboda of Cedar Rapids; a daughter, Linda Svoboda of Cedar Rapids; three grandchildren, Scott (Becky) Svoboda of Shellsburg, Amy Svoboda (Joe Petta) of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Dianne (Scott) Mason of rural Amana; two great-grandchildren, Sydney and Abby Mason; four stepgreat-grandchildren; four stepgreat-great-grandchildren; a brother, Franklin Schulte of Walford; and a sister, Mildred (Maurice) Brannaman of Martelle.

Preceding her in death were her parents and her husband, Emil, who died Aug. 3, 1990; and four brothers, Alfred, Bernard, Cyril and Ferdinand Schulte. Memorials may be directed to the family.