Leo Veskrna
June 1, 1920 ~ January 6, 2008
Served by: Luce, Luze & Reck Funeral Homes
Leo Veskrna, 87, of Miller died, Sunday, January 6, 2008 at the Hospice of the Valley Care Center in Mesa, AZ.
Visitation was held from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, January 11, at the Reck Funeral Home in Miller with a wake service at 7:00 p.m., at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Miller.
Mass of Christian Burial was held at 1:00p.m., Saturday, January 12, 2008 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Miller with Father Chester Murtha officiating. Burial followed in the G.A.R. Cemetery with military honors.
Pallbearers were Rod Bonebright, Patrick Bonebright, Chris Payne, Rodney Veskrna, Jerry Phillips and Ken Zieger.
Leo was born on June 1, 1920 at Touhy, Nebraska to Louis and Lucy (Hottovy) Veskrna. He spent his youth on the family farm in rural Nebraska and attended school at Assumption Catholic School in Dwight, NE.
He served in the United States Army, during WWII and attended National Schools after his discharge.
Leo married Wilma Homolka of Dwight, NE on January 21, 1944. To this union a son, Reno and a daughter, Renae were born.
After farming in Nebraska for a few years, Leo made a special trip to South Dakota just to see the ‘flat’ land he had been told about. He moved to a farm near St. Lawrence in 1952 after ‘suitcase’ farming for a couple of years. His main crop was wheat and he won many awards at the South Dakota State Fair for his seed wheat. He was very active in the local Crop and Livestock Improvement Association and always enjoyed his involvement in the annual Farm and Home Show.
Leo was a member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church, served on the St. Lawrence Co-op board, the St. Lawrence School Board as well as the township board. He enjoyed dancing, especially to polka and Czech Polka music.
He once made a list of the different hired men who had worked with him over the years and he could remember 35
On June 12, 1982 he married Beth Fanning Bonebright at St. Ann’s Church.
He retired from farming at age 72 and enjoyed spending his winters at their home in Mesa, AZ and traveling extensively around the world.
Even though Leo became handicapped, he very much enjoyed his life and the last week he commented how glad he was to be alive.
Leo is survived by his wife, Beth of Miller; his daughter: Renae (Tom) Morog of Miller; Granddaughter: Jessica Morog of Los Angeles, CA; two grandsons: Matthew and Tyler Morog both of Miller; three stepsons: Mark (Carolyn) Bonebright of San Diego, CA, Rod (Anne) Bonebright of Seattle, WA and Patrick Bonebright of San Diego, CA; three stepdaughters: Teresa (Larry) Dow of Portland, OR, Jessica Bonebright of Seattle, WA, and Vicki Mueller of St. Louis, MO; eight step grandchildren; his sister, Diane (Bill) Payne of Lincoln, NE, three brothers: Louis (Bonnie) of Albert City, IA, Ronald (Sharon) of Lincoln, NE and Donald (Delores) of David City, NE; a sister-in-law: Caroline Veskrna of Lincoln, NE and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his wife Wilma in 1976; his son Reno in 1988; his parents; a sister, Phyllis and a brother, Alfred.
Reck Funeral Home of Miller was entrusted with his arrangements.
Visitation was held from 3 to 5 p.m. Friday, January 11, at the Reck Funeral Home in Miller with a wake service at 7:00 p.m., at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Miller.
Mass of Christian Burial was held at 1:00p.m., Saturday, January 12, 2008 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Miller with Father Chester Murtha officiating. Burial followed in the G.A.R. Cemetery with military honors.
Pallbearers were Rod Bonebright, Patrick Bonebright, Chris Payne, Rodney Veskrna, Jerry Phillips and Ken Zieger.
Leo was born on June 1, 1920 at Touhy, Nebraska to Louis and Lucy (Hottovy) Veskrna. He spent his youth on the family farm in rural Nebraska and attended school at Assumption Catholic School in Dwight, NE.
He served in the United States Army, during WWII and attended National Schools after his discharge.
Leo married Wilma Homolka of Dwight, NE on January 21, 1944. To this union a son, Reno and a daughter, Renae were born.
After farming in Nebraska for a few years, Leo made a special trip to South Dakota just to see the ‘flat’ land he had been told about. He moved to a farm near St. Lawrence in 1952 after ‘suitcase’ farming for a couple of years. His main crop was wheat and he won many awards at the South Dakota State Fair for his seed wheat. He was very active in the local Crop and Livestock Improvement Association and always enjoyed his involvement in the annual Farm and Home Show.
Leo was a member of St. Ann’s Catholic Church, served on the St. Lawrence Co-op board, the St. Lawrence School Board as well as the township board. He enjoyed dancing, especially to polka and Czech Polka music.
He once made a list of the different hired men who had worked with him over the years and he could remember 35
On June 12, 1982 he married Beth Fanning Bonebright at St. Ann’s Church.
He retired from farming at age 72 and enjoyed spending his winters at their home in Mesa, AZ and traveling extensively around the world.
Even though Leo became handicapped, he very much enjoyed his life and the last week he commented how glad he was to be alive.
Leo is survived by his wife, Beth of Miller; his daughter: Renae (Tom) Morog of Miller; Granddaughter: Jessica Morog of Los Angeles, CA; two grandsons: Matthew and Tyler Morog both of Miller; three stepsons: Mark (Carolyn) Bonebright of San Diego, CA, Rod (Anne) Bonebright of Seattle, WA and Patrick Bonebright of San Diego, CA; three stepdaughters: Teresa (Larry) Dow of Portland, OR, Jessica Bonebright of Seattle, WA, and Vicki Mueller of St. Louis, MO; eight step grandchildren; his sister, Diane (Bill) Payne of Lincoln, NE, three brothers: Louis (Bonnie) of Albert City, IA, Ronald (Sharon) of Lincoln, NE and Donald (Delores) of David City, NE; a sister-in-law: Caroline Veskrna of Lincoln, NE and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
He was preceded in death by his wife Wilma in 1976; his son Reno in 1988; his parents; a sister, Phyllis and a brother, Alfred.
Reck Funeral Home of Miller was entrusted with his arrangements.
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In our thoughts and cherished memories our loved ones are always with us. With this in time sorrow will fade away and give you strenght for each new day.
You are in my thoughts.
With Sympathy
Ellen Kay wagner
We would like to express our sympathy to the Vesrkna family on the loss of your loved one. My name is Kathy (Piitz)Peters of Henderson, NE., formerly of Brainard, NE. My mother, Rose (Dostal) Piitz was Rose (Kovar)Homolka’s first cousin through the Kovar side. So I would have been a second cousin to Wilma. My grandmother was a Kovar (Rosy Kovar Dostal). She lived west of Abie, NE, a few miles from the original Kovar homestead homeplace. Several years ago we met your family at the funerals of your grandparents, the Homolka’s, in Ulysses, NE.- Rose, 1979 and Joe, 1977. I especially remember visiting with Reno, as we sat at the same table for the luncheon. I also remember meeting Renae and Leo. My uncles, Edward, Anton and Louis Dostal were also at the funeral and dinner visiting with your family. Edward and Anton are deceased, but Louis is 94 years old and lives in an assisted living apartment in David City, NE. with his wife Evelyn. My mother is 85 years old and is in good health and lives on the farm with her husband, Leonard, near Brainard. I hope this gives you a little family background on how we are connected. Again, our sympathies and prayers go out to Renae and family, Beth and family, brothers and sisters and families. Sincerely,
Kathy and Morris Peters, Henderson, NE.
Rose and Leonard Piitz,
Brainard, NE.