A transcription of pages 195-469,
Family Histories from the Verdigre Centennial Book
Thanks to the Verdigre Library and its volunteers for making this available.
 
The index below only includes the husband and wife for each family.
The maiden name for the wife is used if listed.
For other names, use the search on the Home Page.

Index's A-I, J-P, & Q-Z

GEORGE J. AND MAMIE [HOLAN] VONDRACEK

George J. Vondracek and Mamie R. Holan were married on June 28, 1920 at St. Wenceslaus Church in Verdigre by Father Havlicek. Their honeymoon to Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park was a picturesque and sometime hazardous trip in their “Model T.”

George was a native of Chicago, Illinois, born on March 31, 1893, the year of the great Chicago World’s Exposition. His parents were John Vondracek and Marie Kaiser Vondracek. He was the fifth of eight children.

When he was a small boy, he attended a Catholic parochial school through the 8th grade, was an altar boy, helped his brother Victor deliver milk to his father’s customers in Chicago in the wee hours of the morning, and took violin lessons at the Chicago Music Academy. He and his older brothers and sisters gave up their formal education early so they could work and contribute to the family’s finances.

When the family moved to Goodland, Kansas, George worked on the C. B. and Q. Railway. When coming to Verdigre in 1914, he worked on the family farm. He was inducted into the army in 1918 and was assigned to the 41st Regimental Band at Camp Funston, Kansas, playing either tuba or trombone.

In 1919 he received his honorary discharge, went to Kansas City to attend the Sweeney Automotive School and from there went to Chicago to work for a short time before returning to Verdigre to marry a school teacher, Mamie Holan.

[pg 458 photo Mamie Holan Vondracek and husband, George J. Vondracek, in 1920. Attendants: Albina Mlady [Jetensky] and Victor Vondracek]

Mamie R. Holan was born in Verdigre on April 11, 1895, to Joseph and Rose Mary Stoural Holan. She attended elementary and high school in Verdigre and after graduation went on to Wayne State Normal (now Wayne State College) to receive teacher training.

Mamie taught in rural schools near Verdigre for five years before she was married. She was also musically inclined, played the piano and was organist for St. Wenceslaus Church for several years. Her future husband, George, also sang in the choir at this time. After their marriage, the two spent much of their leisure time enjoying music - Mamie, as piano accompanist for George on his violin.

The couple built a home at the west end of Verdigre on a hill that was known at that time as Barnett’s Addition. This was their residence until their deaths.

In 1920 George was employed by the local Dodge dealers, Jecminek and Jiracek, then worked for the railroad again for a short time until he took a Civil Service Exam and became a Rural Mail Carrier, a position he held until he retired in 1958. The vehicles he drove during those 35 years were many and varied - (on all kinds of road conditions and every kind of weather) from horses and a mail wagon to a Model T, an Indian Motorcycle (with sidecar) to the more modern conveyances of pickups and cars.

George was always active in organizations and involved in countless projects in the community. He was a charter member of the American Legion, serving as adjutant and service officer; directed the Verdigre Military Band; organized and played in the dance band, “George’s Nite Hawks”; was a member of the Knox County Selective Service Board during World War II; helped organize a Boy Scout Troop; was a state delegate to the National Legion Convention in San Francisco; the Secretary-Treasurer of St. Wenceslaus Church Cemetery Board; member of the Board of Trustees of the church; served on the school, township, and village boards; and was Police Judge for over 30 years.

Mamie and George were the parents of five children: Rosemary, born on living; George, Jr., born on living; Marguerite, born living; John, born living; and Joseph, born on living.

When the children were in elementary school, they all learned to play at least one instrument and enjoyed playing together as a family band. The family also took many trips and spent some vacation time each summer at their cabin on Little Mantrap Lake near Park Rapids, Minnesota. George was an avid fisherman, and after his retirement, he and Mamie spent as much of the summer as was possible up in the “north woods.”

After Rosemary’s high school graduation, she attended the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, then Wayne State College, where she earned her Bachelor of Fine Art Degree with a Music Major in 1943, and began her career of teaching public school music the following fall.

George, Jr., started to Wayne State after his high school graduation but volunteered for the army during World War II before finishing his first year of college. He was assigned to the hospital ship, USS Comfort, where he was a corpsman. The ship was a part of the South Pacific War Theatre of operations during the entire Japanese conflict. It was hit by an enemy “Kamikaze” plane during the invasion of Okinawa, which caused some very anxious days for the Vondracek family until they knew their son and brother was safe. When George returned to civilian life, he returned to Wayne State and earned his Bachelor’s Degree. He married Virginia Johnson of Bloomfield on February 11, 1947. They have five children: Michael, Jennifer, George III, Thomas, and Lorraine.

After Marguerite graduated from high school she attended Wayne State College and Norfolk Junior College (now NTCC) where she earned her teacher’s certification. From 1945 to 1950, she taught rural schools - District 40, the Osborne School, and District 5, all in Knox County. On June 12, 1950, she married Edwin (Buddy) Pavlik. They have five children: David, Peter, Terrance, Anne Marie, and Gregory.

John attended Wayne State after his high school graduation, also, but a stint in the Air Force during the Korean War interrupted his college education. He married Rosalie Burkhardt of Verdigre on April 6, 1953. While in the service, he was assigned to Air Bases in Victorville, California, Ogden, Utah, and Keflavik, Iceland. When John returned, he finished his degree at Wayne State and began his teaching career.

Joseph, the youngest of five, attended Norfolk Junior College (NTCC) after his high school graduation where he received an Associate of Arts Degree. He received a Bachelor of Arts in Education from Wayne State College. He taught at Knoxville District 37, the Walnut School, Lynch Public School, and Thedford Elementary School, Thedford, Nebraska. Joe married Marie Sukup, the daughter of Walter and Joan Sukup, on October 21, 1972. Joe and Marie operate the Verdigre Greenhouse. Four children were born to them. Gwendolyn Ann was born October 22, 1973, and died November 6, 1973. Joseph Walter was born living; Jedediah Paul was born on living; and Vanessa Marie was born living.

George and Mamie always encouraged their children to participate in school and community organizations and events and to continue their education. Whenever they traveled on vacations, they took all their children along, giving them the opportunity to experience new things. The children always thought these trips were great, but traveling with a carload of kids was something George and Mamie probably wished they had never done!

George died on May 16, 1969, and Mamie on October 21, 1971.

Pages 458, 459