Evalyn C. Slepicka

A Memorial Service for Evalyn will be held on Saturday, November 18, 2023 at 10:00 a.m. at the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Geneva, Nebraska with Kim Dunker presiding. No visitation - It was Evalyn's wishes to be cremated. Graveside Services will be conducted following the memorial service at the Geneva Public Cemetery in Geneva, Nebraska. Memorials are to be directed to the Geneva Senior Center or First Congregational United Church of Christ. Evalyn Christina Slepicka was born to Loyd and Ruth (nee Hedlund) Wythers on October 2, 1918 and passed away on October 3, 2023 at the age of 105 years and one day. A true pioneer woman, she was born on a farm between Burress and Sawyer (a town which is no longer there) in Madison Township, Fillmore County. She rode a pony or walked with her brother and two sisters to a one room school house, District 85, for her early education and helped on the family farm as all children did in those days. When her father Loyd became diabetic in the 1920s, the family had to move off the farm into Geneva for a few years where they lived until insulin became available and he was strong enough to move back to continue farming. Evalyn attended Geneva High School, graduating in 1936. The farm was only two miles from Burress which had become a big dance hall band location. In the 30s and 40s big bands traveled coast to coast by train and found Lincoln, Nebraska a great place to stop and play a few halls. Evalyn and her sister Dorothy slipped out of the house to enjoy the dancing as all girls do. Czechs are known to love dancing and the two met, Fred the Czech and Evalyn the Swedish/English girl, and a lifetime of dancing began. In January, 1937 they were married and moved to a farm near Burress, but in 1938 the crops were not good and so they decided to move near family in Morrison, Illinois and work for a man who raised white steers. Evalyn’s brother Jim was working the family farm but enlisted in 1941 when the war broke out so Fred was needed to come home and take over running the farm. The couple rented a house on a farm nearby where they had cows and chickens to sell cream and eggs in days of tough economic conditions. On the side they worked as bartenders at the Burress dance hall. Soon after the war started, the government built the Fairmont Air Base just a few miles from Burress and the airmen who were looking for music and some beer streamed in. Friendships were made as they became family for a short time to these men far from home. The family followed, Leah born in 1944, Lon in 1948 and Alan in 1951. Life revolved around working on the farm, school, 4H and church, and Evalyn and Fred still dancing. They helped form the Circle 8 square dance club in Geneva and for many years traveled all over the state and beyond to huge festivals and also just putting together a square in a member’s basement. In the late 50s as the boys were now working the farm with Fred, Evalyn went to work at the J C Penney store in Geneva starting as an office clerk, but by the time the store closed 25 years later, she had done everything. Their 50th wedding anniversary was a blowout open house at the Milligan Auditorium with a polka band and all the beer you wanted. They danced the night away to the Blue Skirt Waltz and the Tennessee Waltz and all the favorites of their life together. Fred passed away in 2003 and Evalyn moved on to a life of community giving. She participated in Save for America teaching elementary children about savings accounts. She mentored girls at YRTC, delivered Meals on Wheels and gave gallons of blood to the Red Cross. She had the key to the Log Cabin in the park for the Women’s Club social events and renting it out to other groups. She was a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution. Personally, she traveled with her daughter and husband to India at age 87. Until later, she could be seen walking all over Geneva especially with her sister Dorothy. And she participated in swim aerobics with a group of friends into her 90s. She also belonged to five bridge clubs for several years. She baked countless thousands of kolaches to share and also loved to make pies, especially rhubarb in season. She attended the Geneva High Alumni Banquet until 2022, her 86th reunion!! Evalyn joined the First Congregational United Church of Christ in Geneva as a child and raised her children in the church seeing that they were in Sunday School on Sunday and other activities. She served as Sunday School Superintendent and teacher. Her last few years she took pride in lighting the Advent Candles with her family on Christmas Eve. Evalyn was preceded in death by her parents Loyd and Ruth Wythers Ward, sisters Leta Solt and Dorothy Otte, brother James Wythers, and daughter-in-law Nancy (nee Lauber) Slepicka. She is survived by her children Leah and husband Ray, Lon whose wife Nancy passed, Alan and wife Jan. She has five grandchildren, Noelle, Ashley, Mallory, Shelbi and Kenzi, and nine great grandchildren. She smiled seeing pictures of her newborn great grandson just four days before she passed.

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Evalyn C. Slepicka

October 2, 1918 - October 3, 2023