Frank M. Vavra, 93
Frank M. Vavra, 93, of New Prague, died Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2004, at Mala Strana Health Care Center in New Prague.
Born in Lonsdale on June 3, 1911, Frank Matt Vavra was a son of Anton and Rose (Chlan) Vavra. He attended the district public school until junior high and worked on farms during his teenage years. He learned the meat cutter trade and worked for Chlan's Meat Market in Lonsdale. On October 17, 1932 in Veseli, he married Rose Lapic. They resided in Lonsdale until 1942 when they moved to New Prague. Frank worked at the Ballinger Dairy as a milkman and ice cream maker, as a meat cutter for the Ted Franz Meat Market in the 1950's, at the Robin Hood Flour Mill and Dan Tikalsky's Poultry & Egg Co. for several years into the 1960's. In the 1970's he joined his wife Rose as co-janitors at the Minnesota Valley Breeders Association. In 1979 the couple retired and Frank worked part-time as a meat cutter for William Kadrlik at the Montgomery Locker Plant. They resided at Mala Strana in recent years and Rose died on April 12, 2001. Frank continued to live there until his death September 28.
During his lifetime Frank enjoyed marriage with his wife Rose for 68 years, 61 of them in New Prague.
He is survived by two sons, Rev. Clarence Vavra of New Prague and Eugene (and Janet) Vavra of Bloomington; four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren; a daughter-in-law, Shirley Vavra of New Prague; and two sisters-in-law, Clara Vavra and Tillie Hruza, both of Faribault.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Rose; a son, Francis, on November 8, 2002; two brothers, Joseph and Emil; and three sisters, Rose, Mary and Emma.
Funeral services were held Saturday, Oct. 2 at 11 a.m. at the Keohen Memorial Funeral Home in Montgomery, with Bishop Richard Pates officiating at the Mass of the Resurrection. Private interment was held at the Czech National Cemetery in New Prague. Casketbearers were Gene Vavra, Karen Vavra, Donald Vavra, Eric Vavra, Russell Burmeister and Leroy Skok.
Visitation was held from 9 to 11 a.m. Saturday at the funeral home.
