Evelyn Hattie Brecht, 25 Sept 1915 - 16 Feb 2014

BRECHT, SNELL, VANOUS, SVODBODA, HOOPER, DIVISHEK, SELZER

Posted By: Sandy Ficken (email)
Date: 3/6/2014 at 20:18:37

Evelyn Brecht, 98

Funeral service for Evelyn H. Brecht, 98, Marengo and Norway, was held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 22, at the Norway United Methodist Church. She died Sunday, Feb. 16, 2014, at her home.

The Rev. Rose Marie Calderon Khan officiated at the service.

Burial was in St. Patrick and St. Paul Cemetery, Watkins.

A memorial fund has been established.

Kloster Funeral Home, Marengo, was in charge of arrangements. Online condolences may be left at www.klosterfuneralhome.com.

Evelyn Hattie Brecht was born Sept. 25, 1915, in rural Fairfax, the daughter of Charles and Mary Vanous Snell. She was one of 13 children who grew up on the farm in rural Fairfax. She graduated from Walford Consolidated School in 1935.

She married Frances “Frank” Svoboda April 8, 1942. He sailed to Italy in September of 1942 and was killed in action Jan. 15, 1944.

She moved to Cedar Rapids and began working at Colonial Baking Company until she married Melvin “Red” Brecht. They married April 26, 1945, at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church Rectory, Watkins. They were blessed with five children. The couple farmed the family’s century farm until his death on Aug. 22, 1974, at which time their two sons, Jim and Dennis, took over the farming operations.

She enjoyed flower and vegetable gardening, reading, quilting and working on the family genealogy.

She was an active member of the Norway Methodist Church. She enjoyed being with her family and attending all the family reunions and events during her lifetime. She will be remembered as a strong and active woman and will be missed by her family and friends.

Brecht is survived by four children, Carol Hooper, Grants Pass, Ore.; Donna (Jon) Divishek, Solon; Jim (Linda) Brecht, Marengo, and Dennis Brecht, Marengo; four grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; her siblings, Herb Snell, Jack Snell and MaryLou Selzer; three sisters-in-law, Dorothy Snell, Shirley Snell and Lorraine Snell and many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her husbands, she was preceded in death by her parents, six brothers, three sisters and a daughter in infancy.

The Williamsburg Journal Tribune, 27 Feb 2014
The Gazette, 19 Feb 2014