Drahos, Wesley A.

Wesley A. Drahos, 81, of 839 29th St. NE, died Monday afternoon, June 14, 2010, at St. Luke's Hospital following a brief illness. Funeral Mass: 9:30 a.m. Friday at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church by Father Christopher Podhajsky. Burial with military graveside services: St. John's Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Papich-Kuba Janeba Chapel West, 1604 J St. SW, where a rosary begins at 6 p.m.

Wesley is survived by seven children: Gary (Gwen) Drahos, Lisbon; Duane (Sheila) Drahos, Brenda (Kirk) Perry and Lori (Mike) Gourley, all of Cedar Rapids; Douglas (Lynette) Drahos, Lisbon; Matthew (Dawn) Drahos, Great Falls, Mont.; and Janet Drahos and fiance Chris Lacey, Cedar Rapids; thirteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; sister Alice (William) Mosby, Marion, and brothers Stanley (Irma) Drahos, Bertram, and John (Barbara) Drahos, Postville.

He was preceded in death by his wife Lorna, parents Frank and Amalie (Plotz) Pospisil Drahos, sisters Julia Lawrence and Mollie Mach and brothers August “Gus” and Edward Pospisil and Frank Drahos.

Wesley was born Sept. 3, 1928, in Cedar Rapids and grew up in the Bertram area. He married Lorna R. Patchin on April 15, 1953, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church. Lorna died Dec. 13, 1996. Wes worked for the Sanitary Dairy in Cedar Rapids for 13 years and also farmed near Mount Vernon for many years, retiring in 1980. Following his retirement, he lived in rural Shellsburg, and after his wife's death, he moved to Cedar Rapids. Wes was an Army veteran of the Korean War.

He was a lifelong member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church and a member of American Legion Post 166 in Shellsburg. Wes enjoyed fishing and spending time with his family. Wesley was a loving husband, father, grandfather and friend. He was greatly loved and will be missed by all.

Memorials in his name may be given to St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church.