Srgt. Roy L. Chopek, Tribute, Memorial - 1920

CHOPEK, MAIER, HOWELL, HOVER, BLISS, CARSON, PARIZEK, TOMLIN, SHELLADY, PILCHER, HAYEK, DVORAK, PRYBIL, SHALLA, TIEDEMAN, BOARTS, AMISH, TRUNDY, REHA, LOVE, HINMAN, HOLUB, MESIK, SPIEDEL

Posted By: Stephen D. Williams (email)
Date: 10/19/2005 at 23:57:48

Iowa City Daily Press
Iowa City, Johnson County, Iowa
Monday, 27 September, 1920
page 12 (4 of 12), column 3-5

HERO SLEEPS
MEMORY DEAR
----
All Iowa City Joins in Paying
Tribute to Srgt. Roy L.
Chopek, Who Made
Supreme Sacrifice
In Germany
----
All Iowa City mourned today in memory of Srgt, Roy L. Chopek, the gallant defender of the flag of liberty, and brave battler for the democracy of the world.
He laid down his life in Germany, while serving with the Army of Occupation, after the world war.
During that war, he fought bravely and well in France, the roster of his campaigns, as detailed herein during the struggle for freedom, and after the Armistice, telling the story of a long-faithful, and continuous service--facing death again and again, at the enemy's hands, ere the greatest enemy, Death, laid him low, with non-martial weapons.

Martial and Civic
The city hall flag, floating at half mast over the local temple of justice; the tolling of city, university, and church bells, the cavalcade of solemn, sorrowing men and women, the closing of business houses for an hour of silent recognition of heroism, the oratory of eloquent men, the fragrance and beauty of flowers, the stirring cadenzas of choral and organ music; the firing of guns at the grave, the sonorous, and yet soft, notes of the trumpet, also at the Silent City of the Dead, the soaring aloft of airships, dropping fair flowers over the church, where worshippers assembled in patriotic spirit, and bowed in grief, as the impressive services proceeded--all these things testified to the Athens' esteem and affection, appreciation and sorrow.

Laid to Rest
Srgt. Roy L. Chopek, whose name the American Legion otherwise honors here perpetually, by naming its post the Roy L. Chopek post, was laid to rest at St. Joseph's with imposing ceremonies in keeping with the services that preceded the consigning to the tomb.

An Imposing Cavalcade
the coretege, an imposing cavalcade, moved from the Hohenschuh-Donohue mortuary, to St. Wenceslaus church, at mid-forenoon.
Srgt. Jacob Maier[Maler?] of the United States army, chief trumpeter in the university of Iowa regiment; headed the procession, in company with Col. Ralph P. Howell, commander of the American Legion post, which organization had charge of the exercises, from the military standpoint. Then came the drum corps--playing superbly, with D. I. Hover in charge, and W. H. Bliss, Robert Carson, Arthur Parizek, Robert Tomlin, Cloyde Shellady and S. G. Pilcher assisting him finely.
The entire Legion personnel came next, in uniform. After the members of the post, came the firing squad in overseas uniform, commanded by Captain William Hayek, of the First Iowa Cavalry--the members of the squad being Joseph Dvorak, George Prybil, Glenn Shalla, John Tiedeman, Will Boarts, Leo Amish, J. Heber Trundy, and George Reha.
Following the firing squad, the honorary and active pall bearers marched, six each, as follows:
Active--Dr. F. L. Love, Prof. J. J. Hinman, William J. Holub, Frank J. Mesik, Frank C. Spiedel, Col. Geo. W. Ball.
Honorary--Edward Wren, L. L. Leighton, Clarence Fitzgerald, Earl Weeks, Capt. L. O. Clark, City Clerk George Dohrer.
Next came the hearse, followed by a long line of automobiles, bearing relatives, and friends by the hundreds.

At the Church.
At St. Wenceslaus church, before the great throng proceeded to the cemetery, the services were highly impressive.
The choir and organist provided choice music, and the eloquent Rev. Joseph O'Donnell, of Cosgrove, a member of the Iowa City American Legion post, preached a beautiful sermon, paying a tribute of enduring type to the dead soldier; and to all those young heroes who gave their lives for liberty--the "supreme sacrifice" forecasting the everlasting gratitude of all civilized mankind, and the eternal reward in that "Undiscovered Country" beyond the clouds.
Rev. A. Panoch, pastor of St. Wenceslaus conducted the solemn high mass. Rev. Edward Neuzil, of St. Ambrose, Davenport, a boyhood friend and schoolmate of Srgt. Chopek assisted.
The church was bestrewn with fair, fragrant flowers, each petal, soft and sweet, and velvety, breathing its blessings on the dead hero, and invoking eternal peace. These blossoms fell from hundreds of feet in the air, the United States Post Office department contributing two of its mail ships for the purpose of bathing the sacred edifice in the snowstorm of floral beauty.
The aeroplanes were Nos. 172, bound for Omaha, and 174, bound for Cheyenee, Wyo., guided, respectively, by Pilots Rowe and Stewart.
It was the desire of these loyal aviators--testifying eloquently to the part the ships of the air played in winning a world war triumph--to bestrew the grave at St. Joseph's with flowers, but, owing to the demands of duty, which called them, they could not wait until the cortege reached the cemetery, and therefore, after circling over the city a half dozen times, they sent downward the blessing of blossoms, from a point above the church, and sailed westward.
The beautiful flowers were a gift from James L. Aldous, one of the city's most patriotic business men.

At the Cemetery.
At the St. Joseph's cemetery, while the green-clad boughs that bent above the sacred "God's acre," swayed in the September breezes, and gently shed their rustling leaves--just now yielding to the new-born Autumn's tinting--and sighed their sadly-sweet requiem, the drum corps played with muffled drums.
the drummers also sounded that "long roll," as the magnificent casket was lowered into the welcoming arms of Mother Earth. The firing squad paid its detonating tribute, and as the reverberations died away, the touching strains of the ever-thrilling "taps" fell on the ears of the multitude. Srgt. Jacob Maier sounded these far well notes.
Rev. Father O'Donnell was the officiating clergyman at the cemetery, conducting the commitment ceremony.

Community It Grateful
A grateful community indicated its appreciation of the dead hero's service to his country, other than by the ceremonies and ritualistic services above described.
Loyal business houses of the Athens, stilling for an hour, the rush and bustle, and clamor of commercial activities, closed their doors, and awaited the end of the funeral services, ere they resumed the day's ordinary affairs.
The city hall Mayor Ingalls Swisher approving, patriotically, also discontinued activities for the hour.
At the court house, Judge Ralph Otto, ever eager to pay his tribute to those who have won the gold star in their nation's defense, authorized the hour's quiet, and suspended court during that period of solemn recognition of America's noble heroes, who have run the race; fought the fight; and have conquered the force of evil--the young masters of destiny who have made the "supreme sacrifice" overseas.