JOHN AND MARIANNE [CHALUPNIK] HOSPODKA
John J. Hospodka was born February 25, 1910, in South Omaha,
Nebraska, the first-born child of John F. and Anna (Svoboda)
Hospodka, immigrants to the United States from Nejepin,
Czechoslovakia, in the early 1900s. He had five brothers and seven
sisters. John attended Assumption Catholic Elementary School and was
a 1928 graduate of South Omaha High School.
[pg 272 PHOTO Mr. and Mrs. John [Marianne Chalupnik] Hospodka on
50th Wedding Anniversary in 1985]
After graduation, he took a business course, worked in the business
office of the Missouri Pacific Railroad, and later was employed as a
bookkeeper for Swift and Company. John enjoyed square dancing, took
part in Bohemian plays, and was active in Catholic Sokols.
Marianne Chalupnik was born July 8, 1912, in Verdigre, Nebraska, the
daughter of James J. and Anastazie (Beran) Chalupnik, whose
grandfather, Joseph Mlady, was one of the first settlers in Verdigre
late in 1870. Marianne has one brother, Henry, and three sisters,
Beatrice Collins, Gertrude Ulrich, and Lillian Swoboda. She attended
Verdigre Elementary School and was a 1931 graduate of Verdigre High
School. At an early age, she began working in various departments of
her father’s creamery and continued these duties after graduation.
She was active in Campfire Girls, Catholic Sokols, St. Wenceslaus
choir, and she took part in operettas directed by Mrs. Edward (Eldiva)
Pavlik.
John and Marianne met at a gathering of the Catholic Sokols, a
gymnastic group, and it was through meetings of this organization
and through letter writing that they carried on a long-distance
courtship for two years. On September 10,1935, they were married in
Verdigre at St. Wenceslaus Church.
For three years they lived in South Omaha, and then moved their
family to Verdigre, when John began his association with the
Verdigre Creamery. They purchased the Kalal home, located in
Quimby’s First Addition to Verdigre, which was a development of part
of the original homestead of Joseph and Katerina Mlady. Marianne’s
great-grandparents. In 1950, a full basement was excavated on the
lots west of the house and the house was then moved there. John’s
father, a home building contractor, brought his crew from South
Omaha to completely remodel the home.
In 1985, at this home, John and Marianne celebrated their 50th
Wedding Anniversary with a gathering of their brothers and sisters,
children, and grandchildren. Their children are: Marie Ruzicka
Blanche, Beatrice Proctor Roberts, Ronald, Janice Petersen, and
Quentin. Their 14 grandchildren are: Joy, Joh, Jim and Jill Ruzicka,
Melissa and David Proctor, all of California; Patricia (Hospodka)
Jarvis of Dallas, Texas, and John D. Hospodka, U. S. Navy; Jerry
Petersen, Stanford University, California, Peggy and Christine
Petersen, James, Rachel and Peter Hospodka, all of Omaha.
Over the years, John was a member of Catholic Workmen, Knights of
Columbus, the Verdigre Volunteer Fire Department, Verdigre
Improvement Club, and the Verdigre school board. During his term on
the school board in the 1960s, John was involved in the effort to
provide the lighting for the Verdigre ball park, and was privileged
to be the first person to pull the switch to light the park. For
many years, he enjoyed golfing and participated in area tournaments.
In 1957 he brought home a winner’s trophy from the O’Neill Open. In
his professional life, John devoted many long hours to his duties at
the Verdigre Creamery. Soon after he arrived in Verdigre, he became
involved in the construction of the Verdigre Locker Plant, which his
father helped build. He was an active member of the Nebraska Locker
Association and was partner and general manager of the Verdigre
Creamery and Locker when he was disabled by a stroke in December of
1968. His recovery was sufficient to allow him to remain at home for
14 years under the care of his wife. He became a resident of the
Verdigre Alpine Nursing Home in March of 1982, where he passed away
on November 21, 1986.
Marianne has been a member of the Catholic Ladies’ Guild and
participant in many church-related activities. When her children
recall their growing-up years, they remember her as a devoted
mother, an expert seamstress, and an excellent and creative cook
with a special knack for perfect kolaches and pies. After having
worked for 10 years at the Alpine Nursing Home, she retired in 1982
because of arthritis. She now lives at home and enjoys working in
her yard and flower gardens. Marianne enjoyed regular visits with
her husband and still visits other residents of the Alpine Nursing
Home.
Pages 271, 272
