Memorials › Evelyn Kotrla Wotipka
Evelyn Kotrla Wotipka
1 Jun 1931 – 1 Dec 2023
| Birth | 1 Jun 1931 |
| Death | 1 Dec 2023 |
| Cemetery | Sterling White Chapel and Cemetery Highlands , Harris County , Texas , USA |
| Added by | Al Howell on 04 Dec 2023 |
| FaG | https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/235782340 |
Bio
Evelyn Kotrla Wotipka, age 92, left this world on December 1, 2023. Evelyn was born on June 1, 1931 in Crosby, Texas to Edward and Lydia Romanek Kotrla. She once wrote a note to her daughter, saying "whatever she was or became in life, that it was because of the work ethic of her parents." Evelyn attended Crosby Grammar School, Crosby Middle School and Crosby High School where she was the head cheerleader of the Crosby Pep Squad, cheering on the Buffalos. She enjoyed playing on the high school volleyball team and was the secretary of the 1949 senior class. Upon graduation, she received a full scholarship for Mary Hardin Baylor Business College, but turned it down to be a full-time homemaker. While in high school, she worked at Williams & Lord Grocery Store in Crosby starting at $4.00 a day. She saved $150.00 and bought a brand-new Singer sewing machine. On August 5, 1947, 16-year-old Evelyn went to a dance at the Crosby Catholic Parish Hall. She remembers that she was wearing a polka-dot dress and saw a handsome man standing at the outside bar and as she would later recall, they "locked eyes". His name was Edgar and he offered to buy her a strawberry soda. They went inside the dance hall and the rest is the beginning of their love story. She taught him to dance and they dated for two years, enjoying movies and a lot of dances. After she graduated, they were married on October 16, 1949 at the Czech Moravian Church in Crosby. They resided in the Baytown-Highlands area for 66 years, where they raised two children, Johnny and Cynthia. Edgar and Evelyn shared a passion for deer hunting, which brought them to Cat Spring, Texas, an area that they thoroughly enjoyed. They moved to Cat Spring in 1983 and remained there for 7 years before returning to Highlands. They enjoyed traveling to historical sites, museums, dances, festivals and camp grounds throughout Texas and especially gambling trips to Louisiana. Evelyn liked to sew, quilt, garden, can vegetables and cook for her family. Each year on her daughters' birthday, she made her a poppyseed cake, until she could no longer do so. She shared her love of pickling and crocheting with her granddaughter Tara. Evelyn was very proud of her Czech heritage beginning with her church, Crosby Brethren Church, where she was a life-time member. She was a Sunday School teacher, Vacation Bible School volunteer and member of the Crosby Christian Sisters. She was part of the kolache making team, who got together monthly to make kolaches as a fund-raising project. Evelyn's freezer always had a couple packages of kolaches in it. Evelyn was a homemaker first, but later enjoyed volunteering at San Jacinto Methodist Hospital. She also worked as a temp at Exxon Chemical and as a desk assistant at the Stratford Branch Library. Evelyn was a member of the Highlands Home Demonstration Club, the Young at Heart Club and Highlands Hi-Flyers serving as their trip director for fifteen years. She always planned exciting outings for the senior citizens on the county buses. She often played bingo and dominoes at Highlands Community Center and St. Jude's Catholic Church. She wrote weekly columns on the senior activities for the Highlands Star newspaper. Evelyn was also a member of the Cat Spring Agricultural Society and SPJST Lodge #91. Evelyn inherited her love of reading from her father. She started reading his detective magazines and then went on to read romance and celebrity movie magazines. Later, she would read anything that she could find, a habit that continued until she was unable to do so. Edgar and Evelyn also loved to dance together with the waltz being their favorite. They enjoyed dancing at the old-fashioned dance halls, feasts and celebrations. One of their favorite dances was "Baca's Famous Waltz." Evelyn loved watching "The Lawrence Welk Show" and learned to play the accordion along with her son. Evelyn is survived by her son: Johnny Wotipka (Donna) of Onalaska; daughter: Cynthia Boland (Michael) of League City; Grandchildren: Stephanie Manning (Mike) of League City; Tara McKinney and Monica McKinney of Watauga. She is also survived by three great-grandchildren: Hannah Riser Lori, Camden Manning and Keira Manning and one great-great-granddaughter, Emma, all of League City. She is also survived by step grandson Jay Hamilton (Jamie) and step great granddaughters, Alyssa and KK Hamilton of Denver. Evelyn was preceded in death by her husband Edgar, parents and brother, Rueben Kotrla. Numerous aunts and uncles preceded her in death, but her family knew that the loss of a special uncle, John Romanek, who died as a prisoner in a Korean prison camp, affected her very deeply. She named her son after her Uncle John. A special thank you to all of the caregivers at Regent Care Center for their love, support and compassion during Evelyn's last two years. Visitation will be held at Sterling-White Funeral Home, 11011 Crosby-Lynchburg Rd. Highlands, on Friday, December 8, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m., followed by the memorial service at 1:00 p.m. with Rev. Larry Koslovsky officiating. Pallbearers will be Greg Wotipka, John Romanek, Charles Ripkowski, Calvin Kotrla, Mark Glendenning and Camden Manning. The service will be live streamed for those unable to attend. Interment will be in Sterling-White Cemetery. For those wishing to honor Evelyn's memory with charitable donation, the family suggests: Help Our Military Endure, P. O. Box 57636, Webster, TX 77598-7636 or www.helpourmilitaryendure.org
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