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Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
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Joanne Walrath
JOANNE ROSE HAMOUS WALRATH
Cedar Rapids
Joanne Rose Hamous Walrath, 83, passed away peacefully Oct. 15, 2020, following a long illness.
She was born Nov. 28, 1936, to Ladislav James and Vlasta Liskovsky Hamous in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She grew up with a talent for
singing, playing the piano and a passion
for dolls. She graduated from Franklin High School in 1955, where she performed in school plays and sang opera.
She met her forever love, Howard Walrath, at a dance. They married Aug. 21, 1955, after Howard returned from his Army service in the Korean War. Joanne worked at the University of Iowa while Howard attended there on the GI Bill and earned his B.S. in electrial engineering. After graduation, he started his long career with Collins Radio in Cedar Rapids. In 1972, Howard, Joanne and their two sons transferred to Richardson, Texas, so Howard could head the Rockwell Collins division there. After Howard retired, they built their retirement home among other pilots with the same love of flying and desire to live where they could have their airplanes in the garage.
Joanne was a dedicated homemaker and enjoyed singing in the church choir, gardening and crafting. From the time she was a young girl in Iowa, her favorite pastime was rescuing and restoring dolls. Over the years, she developed an extensive collection and loved sharing her story with local community groups. She was extremely proud of her family Czech's heritage and crafted hand-made traditional costumes for herself and several of her dolls. Joanne and Howard lived life to the fullest. They loved to travel, often in their plane, taking cruises to exotic places and boarting locally on Lake Texoma.
Joanne was preceded in death by her parents and husband, Howard.
She is survived by her sons, Craig and Brian; and her daughter-in-law, Martha. In Iowa, her relatives include her brother, Don; and sister-in-law, Irene; and many other family members.
A graveside service was held at Restland Memorial Park Cemetery in Dallas, Texas, on Oct. 23. Condolences to the family can be directed to Brian and Martha Walrath, 16 Hidden Valley Air Park, Shady Shores, TX 76208-7302. Donations in Joanne's name can be made to the scholarship fund of the Czech Heritage Foundation, P.O. Box 8476, Cedar Rapids, IA 52408.
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