Drahozal, Olga M. (Sindelar)

Olga M. (Sindelar) Drahozal, 85, of Cedar Rapids, and recently of the Solon Nursing Care Center, Solon, died Monday evening, June 17, 2013, at the care center from complications of Parkinson's. Funeral Mass: 2 p.m. Friday at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church by Father Christopher Podhajsky. Burial: Czech National Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday at Papich-Kuba Funeral Home East, 1228 Second St. SE, where a rosary begins at 4:30 p.m. and a parish vigil service at 7 p.m. The Czech Heritage Singers will honor Olga with song at 5 p.m. Thursday at the funeral home.

Survivors include her children, Ruth (Mike) McCormally, Cedar Rapids, Wesley M. (Beth) Drahozal, Des Moines, Walt (Jan) Drahozal, Solon, Art (Rukhsana) Drahozal and Denise M. (Jeff) Upah, both of Cedar Rapids, Becky Jo (Terry) McGurk, Aurora, Colo. and Peter A. (Annie) Drahozal, Eldridge; 20 grandchildren; and 23 great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 62 years, Wesley; her parents, Mike H. and Lydia L. (Sultes) Sindelar; and a brother, Leo Sindelar.

Olga was born June 26, 1927, in Cedar Rapids, and was a lifelong Cedar Rapids resident. After graduating from St. Wenceslaus High School, she attended Mount Mercy College. On Aug. 7, 1948, she married Wesley J. Drahozal at St. Wenceslaus Church in Cedar Rapids. Wesley died April 14, 2011.

Olga loved music and always interpreted the talent she had as a gift from God. She enjoyed playing and teaching piano and taught music for 25 years including 15 years at St. Ludmila School when it was kindergarten through eighth grade. In 1978, Olga and Wesley founded the Czech Plus Band, a group of family and friends who have been successful in preserving and perpetuating authentic Czech band music in this area since that time. In 1985, Olga organized the Czech Heritage Singers, a group of women and men who entertain locally by singing Czech songs. Some of these songs Olga translated into English, much to the enjoyment of audiences.

Olga played the organ at St. Ludmila and St. Wenceslaus churches and played the accordion with the Czech Plus Band and the Czech Heritage Singers. In 1987, the Marian Year as proclaimed by Pope John Paul II, the Czech Plus Band was commissioned by St. Ludmila Church to compile a mass using Czech hymns for the music. Olga said that it was with the help of God that she was able to score the necessary number of hymns for the band. She translated the Czech lyrics to English which then could be sung by the Czech Heritage Singers and congregation.

Olga was a teacher for many years at the Cedar Rapids Czech School for Children and a member of the Czech School Board. She was also a dedicated Camp Fire Girls' leader for each of her three daughters' groups and taught them many songs and folk dances.

Proud of her Czech heritage, she was a charter member of the Czech Heritage Foundation and a member of the board. She belonged to the National Czech and Slovak Museum Guild, the Federation of Czech Groups, Sokol Cedar Rapids, Lodge Cedar Rapids 262 Western Fraternal Life Association (formerly Zapadni Cesko Bratrska Jednota), Cadets of Saint George Branch 45 F.C.S.L.A. (formerly Catholic Workman) and the Czech Village Association.

She was a loving, dedicated wife and mother and truly enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was loved by many and will be missed by all.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church or to the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library.

Online condolences may be left for the family at under “obituaries”.

Published in The Gazette June 19, 2013.