Sophia Frances Vinduska

SOPHIA FRANCES VINDUSKA 1919 – 2019 Sophia Frances Vinduska age 99 of Plattsmouth, NE peacefully passed away on Friday, April 26, 2019 at the Louisville Care Center in Louisville, NE. Sophia was born to German immigrants Joseph and Fannie Bierl on September 2, 1919. As a youngster, she worked the farm with her family. She walked 2 miles to country school before attending Plattsmouth High School starting at age 12. She and her brother Frank drove a Model A to high school for the first two years. Then she lived with a family in town, caring for their twins to earn her keep. After high school, she worked as a waitress before working as a maid for a family in the Fairacres area of Omaha. During this time, she met a young farmer named Henry Vinduska at a dance. He soon convinced her to marry him and return to Plattsmouth to farm. Sophia and Henry were active farmers until Henry’s death in 1998 and were pleased that their son and grandson carry on stewardship of the land. Sophia always had a large garden and preserved its harvest. Her garden produce was the staple of the meals that she served to family, farmhands, and friends. Her flower gardens caused passersby to stop and admire. Sophia claimed that she graduated from “The School of Hard Knocks”. She learned to knit, crochet, quilt, sew, oil paint, and embroider through adult education classes. She taught others as a leader of her children’s 4-H clubs. She always had a project ready to pick up when she came in from the field. Her most prolific hobby was quilting. The exact number of quilts is unknown, but is over 300. Her quilts were pieced together by machine and hand quilted. She enjoyed giving them to family and friends and donating to charity fundraisers. Anyone who received one of her quilts was thrilled by its beauty and craftsmanship. Sophia had an active faith life and was a member of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church/Church of the Holy Spirit for all of her 99 years. She said often, “Prayer solves a lot of problems.” In retirement, Sophia and Henry traveled the United States and several foreign countries. They enjoyed hosting extended family from Kansas and Germany. Sophia relished a good card game and was known for hearty laugh. She boasted that she never had a traffic violation or accident in her 82 years of driving. She lived on the farm that she and Henry established for 71 years before moving to Woodbridge Assisted Living at age 96. She was a member of Church of the Holy Spirit and the P.C.C.W. (Parish Council of Catholic Women). Sophia is survived by children Carolyn (Donald Chleborad), Marilyn (Michael Cahalane), Lynn (Jeanice) and Evelyn (Thomas McKnight) 17 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren and one great great grandson. Sophia was preceded in death by her parents and siblings Theresia, Frank, Frances and Virginia, husband Henry and one great grandchild. Visitation will be held from 1:00 to 5:00 P.M., Friday, May 3, 2019 at Roby Funeral Home in Plattsmouth. A Rosary Service will be held at 7:30 P.M., Friday, May 3, 2019 at Church of the Holy Spirit in Plattsmouth. A Funeral Mass will be held at 10:30 A.M., Saturday, May 4, 2019 at Church of the Holy Spirit with Father Michael Houlihan officiating, Dr. Evelyn McKnight and Dr. Curtis McKnight as the lectors, Fred Ulrich and Jim Ulrich as acolytes, Larry Jensen as vocalist, and Laurie Hajek-Jones as organist. The Pallbearers will be Jim Bierl, Dan Cahalane, Bob Chleborad, Mike Harris, Dr. T. Alex McKnight, and Josh Vinduska. Her final resting place will be at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Plattsmouth. The family suggests Memorials to Church of the Holy Spirit or the Plattsmouth Senior Citizen Center. Services are entrusted to Roby Funeral Home, 346 Ave. A, Plattsmouth, NE 68048. (402) 296-3123 robyfuneralhome.com

Sophia Frances Vinduska

September 2, 1919 - April 26, 2019