Louis F. Vacek 1917-1997

VACEK, BIRDSALL, KOTILINEK, STANWOOD, PRUESS, ORTHNER

Posted By: CHERYL MOONEN (email)
Date: 7/28/2018 at 22:11:52

Gazette, The (Cedar Rapids-Iowa City, IA) - Thursday, September 25, 1997

Louis F. Vacek,79, died Tuesday, Sept. 23, 1997, in the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, after a brief illness. Services: 10:30 a.m. Friday, Hayden Funeral Home, Oxford Junction, by the Rev. Todd Chelf. Burial: Mayflower Cemetery, with military rites. Friends may call today from 4 to 8 p.m. at the funeral home.

Survivors include a daughter, Rebecca Orthner and husband Neil of Mechanicsville; a grandson, Rory Pruess and wife Chris of Omaha, Neb.; a great-grandson, Liam Louis Pruess; a sister-in-law, Blanche Vacek of Oxford Junction; and two cousins, Eileen Birdsall and husband Ted of Oxford Junction, and Marie Smith of Cedar Rapids.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and three brothers.

He was born Nov. 11, 1917, near Oxford Junction, the son of Albert and Rose Kotilinek Vacek, and attended country schools near Oxford Junction. As a young man Louis worked for his parents on the family farm. On May 8, 1942, Louis entered the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Kentucky for a time before being shipped overseas where he fought in the Central European Campaign of World War II. He was discharged in December of 1945.

On May 25, 1946, Louis married Carol Garton in Stanwood, Iowa. They later divorced. Louis was a lifetime farmer in the Oxford Junction area.

He was a 50-year member and past commander of the American Legion Wapsie Post No. 473 of Oxford Junction.

Military graveside services will be by the American Legion Wapsie Post No. 473.