Pelisek, Lela Mae Stanek Kalina

Lela Mae Stanek Kalina Pelisek of Marion, Iowa, passed away at Willow Gardens Care Center in Marion on Sept. 21, 2011. Viewing will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at Hrabak Funeral Home in Belle Plaine, followed by the memorial service at 11 a.m. Burial will be at Oak Hill Cemetery in Belle Plaine.

Lela was born Aug. 18, 1924, to Ed and Silvia Stanek. She grew up around the Chelsea/Belle Plaine area and graduated from Belle Plaine High School.

Lela married Leo Kalina on June 30, 1943. They had five children. Leo and Lela moved to Cedar Rapids from Belle Plaine in 1959, leaving the family farm. Leo passed away in 1966.

Lela was a caretaker much of her life; she earned her CNA certificate at Kirkwood Community College. She continued to give personal care in private homes along with working in several doctors' offices.

On April 28, 1986, she married George Pelisek at the Little Brown Church. George passed away in July 2001.

Lela loved to travel, especially road trips. Over the last 31 years she made well over 35 trips to Arizona, where two of her sons live. Later in her life she spent many winters with her sons and their families in Arizona.

Lela had a contagious smile and loved to entertain her family. She always made sure you would not leave her home hungry. She was a lifetime member of the Catholic Church and made sure her children attended while growing up.

Lela's greatest treasure in life was her family. She is survived by one sister, Mariann Tecklenburg Kerkman of Vinton; five children, Les (Sara) Kalina of Ankeny, Lynn (Nancy) Kalina of Durand, Ill., Linda (Dave) Scott of Hiawatha, Larry Kalina of Eloy, Ariz., and Loren (Kim) Kalina of Mesa, Ariz.; grandchildren, Doug (Dawn) Kalina, Angela Kalina, Jeff Kalina, Jennifer Upah, Shanna (Mike) Smith, U.S. Air Force MSGT Sloan Kalina, Jon (Nichole Houle) Kalina, Dan Kalina, Tamela (Kevin Duckworth) White, Brian (Debbie) White, Brett (Jessica) Kalina, Shawntel (Ernesto) Ojeda and Krista (Tyler) Leuning; great-grandchildren, Dawson Kalina, Dallas Kalina, Adam Kalina, Tyler Kalina, Macy Kalina, Emma Upah, Benjamin Upah, Britney Shaffer, U.S. Air Force AMN Ashlyn Shaffer, Bret Shaffer, Amanda Kalina, Tyffanie Kalina, Katelyn Kalina, Katarina Kalina, Tracinda White, BJ White, Max White, Calvin White, Cassandra Ojeda and Sydney Ojeda; and a great-great-grandson, Jahmel White.

Lela is also survived by Wilma Kalina, Sylvester and JoAnn Kalina, and many nieces and nephews, cousins and lifelong friends.

The family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to all their relatives, friends and neighbors for your thoughts and prayers, generosity, love, food, phone calls, cards, and your support for Lela and her family during her illness. Special thanks to Dr. Zenk and his staff and all the nurses on 5C at St. Luke's Hospital who took great care of Lela during her illness. Thank you to all the nurses and staff at Willow Gardens Care Center in Marion for their personal and loving care.

In memory of Lela, donations may be made to Willow Gardens Care Center, a non-profit organization.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at  under “obituaries.”

Published Sept. 23, 2011, in The Gazette