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Lucille Svoboda-Hopper

Born: February 2, 1920     Weston, Nebraska Died: February 8, 2010     Wahoo, Nebraska     Mass of Christian Burial: Saturday, February 13, 2010 at 10:30 AM St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church Wahoo, Nebraska Visitation ~ 9:00-10:15 at Svoboda Funeral Home Interment St. Francis Cemetery, Wahoo, Nebraska   Visitation & Scripture Service: Friday, February 12, 2010 Visitation ~ 2:00-8:00 PM Altar Rosary Society Rosary ~ 3:00 PM Scripture Service ~ 7:00 PM Svoboda Funeral Home, Wahoo, Nebraska   Memorials: Masses offerings or memorials for later designation

      Mary Lucille Woita was born in Weston, Nebraska on February 2, 1920 to Joseph M. and Mary
E. (Machacek) Woita.  Because the Woita family was quite large, “Lucille” spent much of her childhood with her aunt and uncle, Carrie and Nels Tuveson who lived nearby.  She attended elementary school in Weston and graduated from Weston High School in 1937.
        Lucille married Milo E. Svoboda on September 6, 1938 at St. John Nepomucene Catholic Church
in Weston.  Four children were born to this union.   The couple moved to Wahoo, Nebraska in 1942 and later purchased the former Janda-Koch Funeral Home in 1949.  In addition to being a housewife, Lucille now took on the additional role of funeral assistant and was involved in the day-to-day operation of the family business.  She was an excellent seamstress and cook who lived by the motto “Waste not, want not.”  Lucille served on city and county committees, in addition to holding several elective offices in parish, deanery and diocesan organizations.  She was awarded the Bishop James V. Casey medal in recognition
of her service to the Catholic church in the Diocese of Lincoln.  Milo died unexpectedly on January 24, 1982 while removing snow from the parish parking lot.  Three years later, while attending a singles dance
at the Pla-Mor Ballroom (Lincoln) with her lady friend, she met Howard Hopper of Lincoln.  The couple was married February 14, 1986 at the Bishop Neumann Central Catholic High School chapel in Wahoo.  Howard began car care and woodworking businesses in Wahoo, and Lucille settled comfortably into her role as a wife and homemaker.  Lucille “retired” from the funeral home which allowed them time to travel, visit relatives and enjoy a trip to Europe in 1994.  Following an illness of several months, Lucille passed peacefully from this life on February 8, 2010 at the Saunders Medical Center Long Term Care Facility in Wahoo.  February 14^th would have been their 24^th wedding anniversary.
        She is survived by her devoted husband, Howard; children and spouses, Tom and Marilyn Svoboda, Jim and Carlene Svoboda all of Wahoo, Jean and Walter Paisley of Holy Cross, Iowa, Carol Svoboda of Lincoln and step-son and wife, Kevin and Jeri Hopper also of Lincoln; nine grandchildren, five step-grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren; brother and sisters-in-law, Julius E. “Coke” and Adeline Woita of Omaha, Nebraska, Rita Woita of North Bend, Nebraska, sisters, Dorothy Achord of Lincoln
and Wilma “Wink” Garvey of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
         In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by brother Joe L. and Billy (who died
as a child), and sisters, Elinor Egr and Doris Salter.