Memorials › Joseph B Svoboda

Joseph B Svoboda

24 Feb 1837 – 14 Jul 1923

Birth24 Feb 1837
Death14 Jul 1923
CemeteryTabor Cemetery
Colfax County , Nebraska , USA
Added byWillard Horak on 31 Mar 2018
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/186913710

Bio

The Howells Journal Friday July 20, 1923 Another pioneer has passed into immortality. In the death of Joseph B. Svoboda, who passed away on Saturday afternoon, July 14th, another of the early settlers of this locality passes to his reward. He belonged to a period of a past generation, whose deprivations and self sacrifice, whose heartaches and long for kindred in the homeland whose courage, backed by as indomitable will power burn out of the calamity of the early years here when the grasshoppers, wrought untold havoc, all wet into the history of a yesterday that will never return. Their story of toil, faith and endeavor is only kept alive to us of the present generation and those to come by the repetition of the narratives of the lives of the men and women who really constitute Nebraska's nobility, and descendents of whom should feel maturity of development. Great to their honor. Among these we place the name of our departed friend, Joseph B. Svoboda. Born in a foreign land at Zebrakov, Bohemia on the twenty-fourth of February 1837, destiny led him over many miles of land and sea to have a part in the history of this section of our state. He was not a your man when he came, for he was married int eh land of his birth in January, 1864 to Miss Mary Zluticky, and they continued to make their home there the first ten years after their marriage and came here in the spring of 1874. That was almost a half century ago and they come direct to Nebraska and selected a spot in the fertile areas of Colfax county a mile north of where the church at Tabor now stands where they established a home, they continued to live in this precinct ever since. In the latter seventies the settlers at that vicinity decided on having a church in their midst and from their little each made an offering that made possible the building of St. Mary's Catholic Church which stands at Tabor today as a monument, notable to their faith but to their desire to rear their family in the teaching of their belief. Should each communicant at St. Mary's church give today in the same proportion that the men and women of those days gave they would have a church more magnificent than any in the country. Mr. Svoboda, his son tells us was a member of the board of trustees in charge of its construction. It meant much to him and his wife for their home was blessed with a family of six children. Mary , later Mrs. John Budin who died here on the first day of December 1916. Joseph L. who passed away at Omaha on July eleventh, 1914, and two sons and two daughter, who with the aged wife. survive him--F.J. Svoboda of Abie, Anna, wife of John Stracek-of-this place, John W. Svoboda of Lindsay and Antonia, wife of John B Dostal of this precicet at whose home Mr Svoboda, spent the past month and where he died. to the sorrowing relatives and especially the aged wife who walked at this side for almost three score years, goes out the sympathy of many friends. Seed time and harvest followed each other with the years and our pioneer friends were gifted with an ever increasing vision of the possibilities of this county as they faced the responsabilites and duties of life. During the years of their activity many of them spent in the sod house of the early days with love as its architect and content its atmosphere thrift and frugality their possesions into generous proportions and they had the satisfaction of helping their children to get a foothold in the business world their time and their thoughts were ever for their loved ones who blessed their home and of whom the decessed was always proud and of whom he took delight in talking to intimate friends. He a his wife continued to reside on the old farm place until in the spring of 1001, when they bough a residence property in town and lived here for over twenty years. Mr. Svoboda was a man of quiet disposition and held impecable attitude to his fellow men. He was faithful in his obligations and throughout his long sojourn among us gained the respect of all who knew him. For several years the departed has been steadily failing in health having suffered a gradual but persistent decline, and last autumn he and his wife closed their home and went to live with their children to be cared for . They left the Joh Stracek home last month for a visit in the country with the John B. Dostal family and about two weeks ago it was realized that the shadow of death was gathering near. Finally, weary with weakness, he passed on without a pang from this world at the age of eighty-six years, four months and twenty one days. Besides his immediate family he leaves twenty-eight grandchildren and seventeen great-grandchildren; also a sister, Mrs Barbara Havel of Creighton, and a brother Anton Svoboda of Omaha. His burial took place on Tuesday morning the bright sunshine was cooled by Nebraska breezes carrying the incense of the harvest fields in which he had labored so many years in by gone days which mingled with the perfume of the beautiful flora offerings covering the casket as it was carried into St. Mary's church at Tabor where in the early days his spiritual interest was centered. His grandsons acted at pall bearers Lunir, son of J.W. Svoboda of Lindsay, Adolph, Charles and Frank, sons of Frank Svoboda of Abie, and Wm F. of Lindsay and Rudolph and Dr. J.P. of Omaha, sons of the late Joseph L. Svoboda, Rev J. Foltz officiated at eh services at eh home of Mr. and Mrs. Dostal at 10 O'Clock and later at requiem mass, and the church choir finished special music. Interment was made in the parish cemetery where a large gathering of friends assembled with the relatives to pay a last tribute to the memory of the dead. His memory is honored as one who did his part with courage patience and fortitude in paving the way that make this a prosperous commonwealth of a richly blessed people. The out of town relatives and friends of the family at the funeral were John W. Svoboda and family and Wm F. Svoboda of Lindsay, Frank J. Svoboda and family of Abie, Mrs Barbara Havel of Creighton, Anton Svoboda and daughters Misses Mary, Antonia, and Lizzie, Dr. Jos Svoboda, Emil, Ralph , Frank and Adolph Svoboda and Miss Mayme Svoboda all of Omaha, Mrs Kate Mrsny and son, Leonard, of Schuyler and F. J. Roh and sons, Albin and Eddie of Abie.

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