Sova, Irene May

Irene May Sova, 78, of 2014 Grande Ave. SE, died Wednesday, March 3, 2010, in St. Luke's Hospital following a long illness. Services: 1:30 p.m.  Friday at First Lutheran Church by the Rev. Dan Kolander.  Visitation will be today at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 5 to 7 p.m. and after 12:30 p.m. at the church on Friday. Burial: Czech National Cemetery.

Survivors include her children, Tom (Barb) Sova of Salem, Ore., John (Nettie) Sova of Beaufort, S.C., Pat (Kirby) Kern of Omaha, Neb., Donald Sova of Omaha, Neb., Sally Sova of Cedar Rapids and Holly (Michael) McCue of Louisville, Ky.; her siblings, Melvin (Ruth) Wesbrook, Charles (Loretta) Wesbrook, Louis (Jean) Wesbrook, all of Cedar Rapids, and Frank (Glenda) Wesbrook of Bakersfield, Calif.; and 11 grandchildren. 

She was preceded in death by her parents; and sisters, Ruth Crawley and Leon Sova.

    Irene was born July 23, 1931, in St. Charles, Mo., the daughter of Harry and Elsie Kolbusch Wesbrook.  The year 1944 was Irene's last year of formal schooling; with an eighth grade education, she began working full-time.  Years later her children admired her as a role model overcoming circumstances through self-discipline when she earned her GED. Irene and Leon married July 1, 1949, sharing 26 years of marriage and the love of six children.  At 43, as a single mom with three children at home, Irene became her own woman.  Learning and living self-respect and forgiveness, Irene again impressed upon her children, and on friends a commitment to lifelong self-improvement. She retired after 28 years from Rockwell Collins as an inspector.  History and politics were among her favorite reading subjects, gardening was her joy. The education of her grandchild, Andrew, was a key achievement in her golden years.

In honor of Irene's 45-year membership at First Lutheran Church, the family requests memorials be made to the social ministry at First Lutheran Church.