Vajgrt, Mary Frances

Mary Frances Vajgrt, 87, of Cedar Rapids, died Tuesday, April 9, 2013, at St. Luke's Hospital in Cedar Rapids. Services: 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 12, at St. Matthew's Catholic Church, Cedar Rapids, by Father David Beckman. The family will greet friends from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday at Murdoch-Linwood Funeral Home & Cremation Service, Cedar Rapids. Burial: St. Patrick's Cemetery, Tama.

Survivors include her children, Leonard (Jane) Vajgrt of Reinbeck, Barbara Vajgrt of Cedar Rapids and John Vajgrt of Newhall; grandchildren, Angie (John) Ryan and Michael and Matthew Vajgrt; great-grandchildren, Jazmine, Kailey, Mariah and Lexie; brothers, Charles Stepanek of Malcom, Iowa and Johnie Stepanek of Cedar Rapids; and brother-in-law, Richard Kesl of Marion.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Leonard; sisters, Agnes Lawson and Evelyn Benedik-Wiese; sisters-in-law, Barb Stepanek and Adeline Kesl; and brothers-in-law, Clifford Lawson, Joe Benedik and Wilbert Wiese.

Born Jan. 27, 1926, in Traer, Iowa, Mary was the daughter of Wesley and Marie (Pulkrabek) Stepanek. She attended country school in Traer County and helped on the family farm. On Oct. 12, 1954, she was united in marriage to Leonard Vajgrt in Chelsea. In 1956, they moved to Toledo. She worked as field help for Pioneer Seeds during the summers and cooked for St. Patrick's School. Leonard died in 2000 and, in 2001, she moved to Cedar Rapids.

Mary was a former member of St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Tama and then attended St. Matthew's Catholic Church. Her greatest joy was her family and grandchildren. She played accordion in her father's orchestra and baked wedding and birthday cakes.

She was a member of the Eagle's Club, Blue Birds, was a Cub Scout leader and loved to play bingo, cards and go to the casinos. Other joys were traveling, camping, polka dancing, watching the birds and fishing.

The family would like to thank Dr. Mary Anne Nelson and the Hiawatha Care Center for their special care of our mother.

Please sign the online guest book for Mary at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.

Published April 11, 2013 in The Gazette