PAUL AND AGNES [SLADEK] STOURAL
Agnes, daughter of Frank Sladek, Sr., and Anna Mudra, was born
October 3, 1907. After she graduated from Verdigre High School in
1922, she attended Wayne State College, graduating in 1926. She
intended to teach, but instead she and Paul Stoural were married on
September 27, 1927, in the St. Wenceslaus Church with Father Charles
Oborny performing the ceremony. This wedding was the first wedding
performed by Father Oborny. Father Bata, the regular pastor, was ill
and Father Oborny was riding the train from Omaha each weekend to
say mass in Verdigre. He would return to Omaha on Monday. The parish
was celebrating St. Wenceslaus Day on September 28, so the 26th was
chosen to keep Father Oborny from having to make two trips. The
wedding was a large one and Father didn’t know the people well. He
said in jest, that he needed to be reminded often just who the
intended were or he might tie the knot in the wrong place.
Paul and Agnes began farming on Paul’s farm three miles east of
town. Hard luck struck them, too. First it was the drought, then
grasshoppers and hail, and after many years of trying to make a go
of things without success, they moved to Scottsbluff where they had
friends and obtained employment. When they returned to Verdigre
several years later, they moved into town, bought a house and Paul
was a township road overseer until his death on February 9, 1959.
Agnes concentrated her efforts on raising their three children,
Willard, Frances, and Paul, Jr. She led an active life in Verdigre
while working at the Creighton Care Center when it opened. She took
a nurses’ aide course at Creighton, worked nights, and took care of
her mother during the day. Eventually she moved with her mother to
Norfolk and worked at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital and at the State
Hospital. After her mother passed away in 1970, she once again took
up residency in Verdigre and was employed at Alpine Village Nursing
Home, becoming one of it s first employees. She worked there for
several years before retiring.
Agnes is active in church affairs and does much volunteer work. She
served on the Library Board when it first began in the Bartak
building in 1955 and helped catalogue the books since there were no
funds allocated to hire someone for the job. Agnes served on the
board of directors of the Catholic Council of Women of Omaha for
four years and as the Catholic Guild representative in 1984. She was
secretary of the Verdigre P. T. A. , president of the Catholic
Ladies Guild in 1946 and in 1978, commissioned as an Extra-ordinary
Minister of the Eucharist (EME) for three years, and then
recommissioned to help at the Alpine Nursing Home, ministering to
the confined there.
She volunteered two days a week to serve and help the people of the
Czech Alps where she now makes her home. She has volunteered for
various fund drives, cancer, heart, etc. At the present, she is
serving on a committee for the “Heart to Heart,” as Apostolate for
the Catholic Daughters of the Americas. The Valley Senior Citizens
were organized in 1985 and Agnes is the reporter.
“Aside from the other things I’ve done, I always loved to work with
people and help the elderly and anyone who was in need, so I keep on
volunteering whenever and wherever needed. It has made for a happier
retirement and I’ve achieved great satisfaction in helping others,”
says Agnes.
All three of their children graduated from Verdigre Public School.
Willard, who was born living, married Betty Benson in 1954.
They have five children: Vickie, Kevin, Terry, Bradly, and Tammi.
Willard has the Home Health Business in Norfolk and makes his home
there after living in Red Oak, Iowa, for many years.
Frances, born living, married Larry Schaffer and they have
two children: Christopher and Tiffany. Larry works in the bank in
Brunswick, a position he has held for 25 years.
Paul, Jr., born living, married Joyce Miller in 1970 and they
have three children: June, Jennifer, and Paul III, or P. J. as he is
known by his family. Paul, Jr., has a Home Health Store in Fremont,
Nebraska. They also lived in Red Oak, Iowa, for many years before
moving to Fremont. Joyce is a registered nurse and works at the
University Computer College.
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