Stejskal, Evelyn Marvel

Evelyn Marvel Stejskal, 87, of Cedar Rapids, died Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009, at Heritage Nursing and Rehab Center. Services will be 10 a.m. Monday, Nov. 2, at Brosh Chapel in Cedar Rapids, temporarily located at 3100 F Ave. NW. Burial will follow in Czech National Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 until 6 p.m. Sunday at the chapel.

Evelyn was born March 17, 1922, in rural Solon, the daughter of Tom and Mary (Merta) Svoboda. Evelyn graduated from Vorel School No. 6 of Solon and attended Shueyville High School through 9th grade when she had to quit to support herself and help with her family. Evelyn did many chores around the farm and she always recalled a very happy and contented life on the farm, even during all the hard times. She would say, “everyone was poor and we were all in the same boat, but we were happy and always had enough to eat.” On Jan. 30, 1940, Evelyn married Joseph P. Stejskal at the Little Brown Church in Nashua. In their early years, Evelyn worked at Killian's Tea Room, Sykora Bakery, Quaker Oats and Polehna's Meat Market.

She worked for Stejskal's Flower Shop which she and Joe then purchased with son Ken in 1970. Evelyn spent countless volunteer hours of involvement with the following organizations that she was a member of for many years: CSA Lodge Prokop Velky No. 137, WFLA Lodge No. 13, Czech Heritage Foundation, CSA District Council No. 14, Chada Pautz and Czech Federation Group and Damska Matice Skalska. She was best known for many years for leading the ticket sales and promotions for the annual St. Joseph Day Dance held each March. Over the years she proudly sold thousands of tickets and raised thousands of donation dollars for local businesses for that event. Evelyn and Joe enjoyed traveling, going to Polka festivals, dancing and gardening. Most of all, she enjoyed sharing her fresh baked kolaches and handmade egg noodles along with all of her fresh garden vegetables. Evelyn always had a smile on her face and a kind word for everyone.

Evelyn is survived by her son, Kenneth (Sally) Stejskal of Cedar Rapids; daughter, Kathy (Brian) O'Neil of Waconia, Minn.; three grandchildren, Lynette (Russell) Cohen of San Francisco, Calif., Brent (Lisa) Stejskal of Lisbon and Mallory O'Neil of Waconia, Minn.; great-grandchildren, Sydney and Joe Cohen and Blake Stejskal; brother, Frank Svoboda; and sisters-in-law, Vernita Stejskal and Dorothy Stejskal Kiracofe.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Joseph on Jan. 26, 2004; sister, Georgia (Svoboda) Neprash; and an infant sister, Janice Mae Svoboda.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at