Obituaries : Helen M. Kokesh

Helen M. Kokesh

CLUTIER: Helen M. Kokesh, 82, died Saturday, June 8, 2013 at Mercy Medical Center in Cedar Rapids following a sudden illness.
     A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, June 12, 2013 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Van Horne with Father Craig Steimel as Celebrant.  Interment will be held at the Oneida Cemetery near Clutier.  Friends may call
at Phillips funeral home in Keystone from 4 to 7 p.m., on Tuesday.  A memorial fund has been established.
     Helen was born August 18, 1930 in Toledo to John and Blanche (Vesely) Kriz and graduated from Toledo High School.
     On January 1, 1949 she was united in marriage to Donald G. Kokesh at the Little Brown Church in Nashua.  The couple farmed in the Clutier area for 37 years and then moved to the Cedar Rapids area before making their home at Country View Apartments in Newhall.  They enjoyed polka and square dancing and visiting friends and family, especially their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Donald preceded Helen in death on September 7, 2005.
     Helen loved playing cards and was a member of O.R.A. Club.  She worked at the Belle Plaine Salebarn, West Park Mobile Home Village, and at Pioneer Seed Co.  Helen was proud to drive a Gleaner Combine during the Farm Progress Show in Van Horne.  She was currently a resident of the Keystone Nursing Care Center.
     She is survived by her children, Marcia (Mark) Rathert of Dixon, MO, Marilyn (John) Svoboda of Clutier, Sheryl (Lisa) Kokesh of West Amana and Daryl (Jennifer) Kokesh of Dysart; eleven grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
     In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Vince and Adolph Kriz and grandson, Justin Kokesh.