Memorials › Martin John Svoboda

Martin John Svoboda

15 Nov 1924 – 1 Oct 2012

Birth15 Nov 1924
Death1 Oct 2012
CemeteryRiverton Cemetery
Riverton , Franklin County , Nebraska , USA
Added byKatherine Merritt Herrington and Dale Herrington on 08 May 2014
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/98198289

Bio

HOLDREGE - Martin J. Svoboda, 87, of Holdrege, formerly of Elwood, died Monday, Oct. 1, 2012, at Phelps Memorial Health Center in Holdrege. Services will be at 10 a.m. Friday at St. John's Catholic Church in Smithfield with the Rev. Thomas Lux officiating. Burial will be at 2:30 p.m. Friday at Riverton Cemetery with military honors by the Nebraska Honor Guard. He was born Nov. 15, 1924, in Wahoo to Joseph and Barbara (Benes) Svoboda. On June 1, 1950, he married Laura M. Siel in York. She died March 24, 2008. Survivors include his sons, Martin J. Svoboda II and his wife, Judith, of Fayetteville, Ark., Thomas Svoboda and his wife, Marlene, of McCook, Michael Svoboda and his wife, Cindy, of Missoula, Mont., Daniel Svoboda and his wife, Cindy, of Holdrege and Ronald Svoboda and his wife, Lee Ann, of Fort Myer, Fla.; daughter, Katherine Lange and her husband, Duane, of Ord; brother-in-law, Jack Siel and his wife, Velma, of Franklin; 20 grandchildren; and 21 great-grandchildren. He attended school at Valparaiso High School and graduated with the class of 1941. After his schooling, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps and served in Saipan-Tinian, Mariana and Volcano Islands and Iwo Jima. Upon his discharge, he furthered his education at Peru State College where he also played basketball. He received his bachelor's degree in education from Peru State in 1949 and embarked on a 38-year career in education. He later received his master's and school administration educational specialist degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He and Laura were married at St. Joseph Catholic Church in York. In 1951, he was the principal at Benedict Public Schools. He taught and coached grades seven through 12 in Nebraska, Iowa and Arizona. After teaching and being principal in Phoenix, he came back to Nebraska to be a principal at Tri County High School, near DeWitt and then was superintendent at Burwell for nine years and Eustis for 11 years. He retired in 1987 and moved to Elwood while his wife continued to teach. Martin then moved to Holdrege to be closer to family. He was a member of St. John's Catholic Church in Smithfield and a Veterans of Foreign Wars and American Legion member. He enjoyed traveling with his wife to see his grandchildren, working on the family farm back in Riverton and reading the newspaper. In addition to his wife, he was preceded in death by his parents; grandson, Steven M. Lange; brothers, Charles and Joe Svoboda; and sisters, Agnes Reno and Carolyn Jochim. Published in Kearney Hub on October 3, 2012 ______________________ Martin John Svoboda II was born 28 June 1951 in Polk, Nebraska. He passed away 22 November 2025 in Fayetteville, Washington County, Arkansas. He was a 1974 graduate of West Point. In his later years he was a teacher. His wife, Judith von der Hyde Svoboda, was born 26 Sep 1956 in Hessen, Germany. She passed away 21 October 2025 in Fayetteville, Washington, Arkansas. She was a retired realtor and retained her German citizenship all her life.

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