Svoboda, Ludwig 'Lud' J.

Ludwig “Lud” J. Svoboda, 73, died Thursday, Aug. 25, at the Dennis and Donna Oldorf Hospice House of Mercy, Hiawatha. Funeral Mass will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 30, at Blessed John XXIII. Burial to follow in St. Patrick's Cemetery near Fairfax, where full military rites will be conducted by the Fairfax American Legion. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday at Blessed John XXIII, located at 8100 Roncalli Dr. SW where there will be a 7 p.m. Knights of Columbus rosary followed by a parish vigil. Brosh Chapel in Cedar Rapids is in charge of arrangements.

Lud was born Dec. 17, 1937, in Clutier, the son of Paul and Albia (Stoklas) Svoboda. Lud served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. He married Loreen A. Schminke on Aug. 17, 1970, at The Little Brown Church in the Vale in Nashua.

Lud is survived by his wife, Loreen Svoboda; his children, Gregory (Lylelene) Svoboda of Shellsburg, Sandy (Steve) Smith of Wadsworth, Ill., and Jeff (Monica) Svoboda of Vinton; stepchildren, Randy (Deanna) Redington of Cedar Rapids and Karolee (Leon) Mell of Norway; nine grandchildren, Greg II (Jennifer) Svoboda, Heather (Phil) Kolek, Shane (Heather) Mell, Kaitlynn Mell, Bronson Werning, Amanda Svoboda, Joshua, Caleb and Ariana Svoboda; three great-grandchildren, Braden Mell, Emersyn Svoboda and Evan Kolek; brothers, Leo (Janice) of Boise, Idaho, David of Marshalltown, Peter “Giles” of Marshalltown, Clair (Suzanne) of Clutier and Paul “Poncho” (Barbara) of Clutier; and a sister, Cecilia Podhajsky of Traer.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Albia Svoboda; his in-laws, Victor and Hazel Schminke; and a brother-in-law, Bob Podhajsky.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to either Boy Scouts of America or the Knights of Columbus 4th Degree, Bowen General Assembly.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at .