Elbert Lee Sobotka (1935-2010)

SOBOTKA, DRISKELL, BROWN, PERISHO, BECKER-OLEARY, OLEARY, WELDON, CORCORAN

Posted By: Ames Tribune
Date: 3/1/2010 at 07:26:15

THE AMES TRIBUNE, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Thursday, February 25, 2010.

Elbert Lee Sobotka, 74, passed away Saturday, Feb. 20, 2010, at the Veterans Home in Marshalltown surrounded by his family. Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 24, at Bethany Lutheran Church in McCallsburg, with Pastor Nate Liston officiating. Interment will be in Lincoln Township Cemetery in Zearing.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, at Bethany Lutheran Church in McCallsburg.

Elbert Lee Sobotka was born Aug. 10, 1935, in Ringgold County, to Andrew Joseph and Eva Marie (Driskell) Sobotka. His adolescent years were spent on a farm near Diagonal, with his parents, four brothers, Bernard, Joe, Wallace and Chuck, and three sisters, Margaret, Maxine and Sherry.

He graduated from Diagonal High School in 1953. He entered the U.S. Army in the fall of that year, serving in Germany.

He graduated from Northwest Missouri State College in Marysville, Mo., in 1960, with a bachelor’s degree in education. He earned a master’s degree from Drake University in 1964 and received a specialist degree from Drake University in 1967. His first job was in Van Meter teaching high school math and science.

His entire life was spent in the education field, first as a science and math teacher in Van Meter (1960 to 1964). During this time, he coached girls basketball and boys baseball, and taught drivers education. He furthered his career as a high school principal and math teacher at Southeast Warren from 1964 to 1969.

In 1969, he took the job as superintendent at NESCO (North East Story County). NESCO reorganized with the neighboring town of Colo, becoming Colo-Nesco. During his career, he received numerous awards for his leadership in education. He retired in 1993. He dearly loved his work, especially working with the children.

During his life, his hobbies included his love for sports. He sincerely enjoyed many fishing trips to Lake Rathbun during the 1970s and ’80s with his family and friends. May those great memories help sustain those he loved most. Although his health had deteriorated since retirement, he was blessed with a loving family who came to visit him often. His wife, Janis (Brown) Sobotka, whom he married July 13, 1957, in Tingley, was his devoted caretaker until he reached the stage she could no longer care for him. Therefore, he entered the Veterans Home in Marshalltown. He was a member of the American Legion Post 334 in McCallsburg.

He and Jan were blessed with three wonderful children, Rick (Fran) Sobotka, of Overland Park, Kan., Sandy (Doug) Perisho, of Zearing, and Jackie (Jack) Becker-O’Leary, of Nevada. He also leaves eight wonderful grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren, Erin and Jon Sobotka, of Overland Park, Kan., Amy (Bart) Weldon, of Maxwell and their son, Brayden, Tami (Rich) Corcoran, of Story City, and their children, Grace, Eva Marie and Levi, Wyatt (Breann) Perisho, of Zearing, and their son, Connor, Brad (Tonya) Becker, of Ames, and their children, Parker, Dillon and Kale, Michael (Jill) Becker and Maddux ,of Waterloo, and Andrew Becker, of Ames.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Elbert Sobotka Memorial Education Fund in care of State Bank and Trust in Nevada.

Fredregill Funeral Home in Zearing is in charge of arrangements.

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