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Donald Kouba
DONALD KOUBA
Hiawatha
Donald Kouba passed away Oct. 23, 2015, at the Ed and Joan Hemphill Hospice Unit at St Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Visitation will be Tuesday, Oct. 27, at Lovely Lane United Methodist Church, Cedar Rapids, from 9:30 until 11 a.m. Services will begin at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Czech National Cemetery, Cedar Rapids.
Donald was born Oct. 1, 1938, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Edward Joseph and Adeline Marie (Rericha) Kouba. Don graduated from McKinley High School and Coe College. He worked for Rockwell Collins and retired from the University of Iowa.
He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Sharon (Hiawatha); and a very special four-legged friend, Molly. He is survived by Sharon's family, Delores (Joe) Kroack and James, James and Beverly Walsh, Cheryl (Jerry) Bollman, Kim (Phyllis) Walsh and Mary Lou Walsh; many great-, great-great- and great-great-great-nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his parents; grandparents, Wencil and Marie Kouba and Louis and Anna (Jandera) Rericha; and aunt, Libby Andrews.
Don met and married the love of his life, Sharon Topel, on Oct. 11, 1969, at Evangelical United Brethren Church in Monona. They made their home in Cedar Rapids and Hiawatha. He always told everyone he was going to marry a rich farmer's daughter. Sharon was a farmer's daughter but riches came in other ways.
Don was a member of Lovely Lane United Methodist Church, a 50-plus-year member of El Kahir Shrine, El Kahir Hospital Dads and a 50-plus-year member of Mizpah Lodge and Scottish Rites.
He and Sharon belonged to the Kettelsen Camping Club and enjoyed camping, hunting and fishing. Don and Sharon were volunteers with Camp Courageous for many years and also served on the Pineapple Gala Committee. Don enjoyed woodworking and making things for other people. He enjoyed being an amateur radio operator for many years and answered to KB0YIQ. Don belonged to many environmental organi-zations over the years, as well as serving as an officer in many of them.
Memorials may be given to Camp Courageous. 12007 190th St., P.O. Box 418, Monticello, IA 52310-0418; El Kahir Shrine Transpor-tation Fund, P.O. Box 38, Hiawatha, IA 52233; or Lovely Lane United Methodist Church, 2424 42nd St. NE, Cedar Rapids, IA 52402.
Online condolences may be left at www.cedar
memorial.com under obituaries.
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