Catherine Ann (Drahozal) Sheka

Catherine Ann (Drahozal) Sheka

Cedar Rapids

Catherine Ann (Drahozal) Sheka, 88, died peacefully, Wednesday, April 17, 2024, after a brief illness.

Services: 10:00 am Saturday, April 27, 2024, All Saints Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Visitation: 8:45-10:00 am Saturday, at the church. Burial: St. John’s Cemetery, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, immediately following the Funeral Mass. Papich-Kuba Funeral Service is in charge of the arrangements.

Catherine was born on November 29, 1935, at Mercy Hospital in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to Bridget (Hruska) and Rudolph Drahozal. She attended St. Ludmila Elementary School, graduated from St. Wenceslaus High School in 1953, and received her RN from the Mercy School of Nursing in 1957 (where she was simply known as “Draz” to her friends). She went on to work nights in Labor and Delivery at Mercy Hospital, but her actual full-time job was taking care of her family.

Catherine is survived by her six children – Ann (Bob) Petrzelka, John, Tom (Jenny), Mary (Don Piper), Theresa (Haim Sabo), and Liz; twelve grandchildren – Emily (Murphy), Joe (Lissa), Jake (Haley); Lynn (Brendan), Adam (Adam), Kate (Kyle), and their mom, Cheryl Conard; Emma, Ben, Lydia; Autumn (Adam), Lindsey; and Kayla (Daniel); and six great-grandchildren – Raegan, Ava, Callum, Zoe, Deegan, and Reed.

She is also survived by three brothers: Bernie Drahozal, Denny Drahozal, and Mike (Jan) Drahozal, and one sister, Theresa (Leroy) Wieser; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins, including many godchildren; and many extended family members and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Bill (hope Heaven has church dinners for them); her parents; brothers Ed and Thomas; a sister, Mary Lou Sanborn; and sisters-in-law, Carol and Shirley.

Mom married Dad – William “Bill” Sheka – on May 10, 1958 at St. Ludmila’s Catholic Church; they were married for 65 years before his death last May. The family they created would become her most important work and interest for the rest of her life. However, we always had to remind ourselves that Mom had a life that preceded all of this.

Listening to Mom tell stories about growing up in the Czech community of Cedar Rapids was not only entertaining, but a lesson in the history of the area, as she proudly talked about the shops and the shop owners, who were mostly family, friends, and neighbors. There isn’t a home, building, or landmark she could drive by in the area without telling a story about it, pronouncing every Czech name as it should sound (insert thick Czech accent and rolled “r”s). A great talent of Mom’s was telling and – and REtelling – stories, but we knew how much joy it brought her talking about those early years. Her pride in her community and Czech heritage (and her kolache recipe) was something that was passed down to her children and grandchildren. That pride carried over into her mother’s hometown of Spillville, and growing up, frequent trips were made to solidify that connection for us.

When her mom died at a young age, our mom, being the oldest daughter at age 15, took on the role of mother to her younger siblings; despite how overwhelming it must have been, we know she stepped into it willingly and naturally. It seemed to be the catalyst for caring for whomever needed it throughout her life. She dedicated her life to endeavors and

organizations that benefited others; some of her most fulfilling roles were being a founding board member of Greene Square Meals, serving on the Social Concerns Committee at All Saints, and taking over the Sister Leonice Cookie Project at All Saints. She was the third recipient of the Friends of Regis Award, and also won the Governor’s Volunteer Award.

Volunteering was an incredibly important thing to Mom throughout her life, and the number of hours she logged at All Saints and Regis High School would break a calculator, if ever added up. Of particular legendary status is that she was the unofficial taxi driver at the helm of the green van, shuttling not only her own kids, but everyone else’s as well on any and most occasions that called for transportation. She also was the scorekeeper for Regis girls’ basketball for 15 years (she said it kept her from yelling while her daughters played). Mom understood the importance of giving what you can of time, talent, and treasure, and the enduring legacy of it all is that she showed her family the importance of showing up and doing for others. No matter how crowded the dining room table at home was at times, Mom always made room for one more, and as she would say, “With enough food to feed an army.”

Mom leaves us with so many memories, and we feel so lucky that her grandchildren had her around for so long to get the full experience of things like weather reports, singing birthday greetings, learning Czech, Dilly Bars, kolaches, The Sound of Music, endless photos of us taken while eating, waking up on Sundays to the polka music blasting from her radio, and hearing the same stories over and over and over and over. She never missed marking any occasion with cards, packages, and newspaper clippings, keeping the Post Office and Hallmark in business for years. Family knew calls would never be answered by Mom during 4:00-4:30, the sacred time of Jeopardy, and that Mom/Grandma walking 10 miles a day was her “big fish” story that grew exponentially from her daily walks. Mom was a great cook and baker, and somehow could manage a ten-course meal out of two things in the refrigerator.

Mom was a simple person who only wanted her family to be happy and cared for, and she was a faithful servant of God; her faith and church life were incredibly important to her, and sustained her throughout her life. Music ministry was a passion of hers and, even at the end of her life, music was the thing that elicited some reaction from her.

The family would like to thank so many family and friends for their love and support. Additional thanks go to the caring staff at The Views of Marion, Mercy Hospice, and Mike Papich.

In lieu of flowers, please honor Mom with memorials directed to All Saints Catholic Church Loaves and Fishes to benefit local nonprofits, or Greene Square Meals.

Dobrou noc a S panem Bohem, Mom!