Sevcik
Josef S. ŠEVČIK (1850 - 1930) and Anna MIKLAS (1855 - 1936) were my great grandparents. They were born in Bohemia, married in 1873, had 3 children in Bohemia, came to America in 1881, and had 2 more children in Tama County, IA.
There were a lot of SEVCIKs in Tama County, Iowa, in the late 19th Century. Many were Catholic, and their children were usually Joseph, Mary, Frank, Anna, John and Katherine. They were also mostly illiterate, even in Czech, so the names and dates vary considerably from one record to the next. I have come across several families in York, Otter Creek and Oneida Townships, Tama County, which had a lot of the same names and approximate dates, but they were different families. The SEVCIKs that settled near Vining, in York Township, married into my line, on the POSEKANY side. Frank James SEVCIK married my great aunt, Blanche Mayme POSEKANY. If there is any connection between the two SEVCIK lines, it goes back into Bohemia. This page only concerns the descendants of Josef and Anna.
Josef and Anna lived in Zalažany, a small village about 13 km WSW of the city of Vysoké Mýto, Bohemia. Vysoké Mýto has a population of 12,432 (2007), and is about 150 km east of Prague, and only 30 km from the border with Poland.
Josef's parents were Josef ŠEVČIK and Anna JANDEROVÁ (or JANDEROVE, JANDEROVY, JANDERVY, JANDORVY). They lived in House 11, in Zalažany.
Anna's parents were Jan NYKLAS and Katherine ROUBÍNKOVÁ (or RUBINKOVY). Jan was a railroad worker. The NYKLAS family lived in House 13, in Popovec, another small village between Zalažany and Vysoké Mýto.
I have no dates for any of these four gg-grandparents, and I don't think any of them ever came to the US.
Josef ŠEVČIK and his granddaughter, Dorothy HALOUPEK, in 1919
Josef Jr. and Anna were married in 1873, and they lived in House 31, Zalažany, where Josef was a locksmith. They had five children, listed here with their spouses.
[For brevity, BP stands for Belle Plaine, Benton County, Iowa.]
..... 1 Josef S. ŠEVČIK b: 05 Mar 1850 in Zalažany, Bohemia, d: 20 Dec 1930
..... + Anna NYKLASOVA b: 17 Oct 1855, m: 1873, d: 19 Oct 1936
........... 2 Anna ŠEVČIK b: 26 Jul 1875 in Bohemia, d: 06 Oct 1928 in BP
........... + Ernest Earl "Red" LEININGER b: 25 Mar 1885, m: 27 Jan 1916, d: 1928
........... 2 Mary ŠEVČIK b: 20 Jul 1877 in Pilsen, Bohemia, d: 1958
........... + Edward Joseph HADIMA b: 1875 in IA, d: 1953
........... + Ben ARMSTRONG b: 1868, d: 1925
........... 2 Františka "Fannie" ŠEVČIK b: 20 Sep 1880 in Zalažany, Bohemia, d: 30 Sep 1955
........... + Fred E. MORROW b: 08 Jul 1874 in Illinois, d: 16 May 1942
........... 2 Frank Ed SHEFCHIK b: 31 Aug 1884 in IA, d: Aft. 1963
........... + Lurena PIERCE b: 1886 in MO, d: Aft. 1963
........... 2 Kathryn Bess ŠEVČIK b: 25 Sep 1885 in Tama, Tama, IA, d: 14 Jan 1963 in BP
........... + Frank Louis HALOUPEK b: 25 Mar 1881 in BP, m: 03 Jun 1908 in BP, d: 18 Jun 1965 in Cedar Rapids, Linn, IA
Since Františka was born in Bohemia, and Frank was born in Iowa, the family must have immigrated during the period between 20 Sep 1880 and 31 Aug 1884.
The Suevia, a ship which travelled from Hamburg to New York, departing on 17 Jul 1881, has a ŠEVČIK family on its passenger list.
Passenger list for the Suevia, 1881
ŠEVČIK Family
This looks like the right family, but 10 month old Františka was mistaken for a boy.
The SIMEK family, also from Zalažany, travelled on the same voyage, and were listed on the same page of the ship manifest, so the families undoubtedly knew each other. The SIMEK family consisted of Josef (43), Anna (42), Anna (22), Cenek (19), Josef (16), Marie (9), Emilie (7). This family later appeared in Otter Creek, Tama, IA.
In 1885, the state census finds the SEVCIK family on Warren Street, in the city of Tama, Tama County, IA. Joseph is a railroad employee.
The 1920 US Census has Joseph living with his daughter Katie and her family, at 1410 4th Avenue, Belle Plaine, Benton, IA. He is still married, but his wife is not present. In 1930 Joseph is living alone at 1404 7th Avenue, Belle Plaine.
Joseph died on 20 Dec 1930, in Belle Plaine. On his death certificate, under marital status, "widowed" is written and crossed out, replaced by "married". His parents are listed as Joseph SEVCIK and Anna MICHALES. The cause of death is "Cardiac Asthma" with "Bronchitis". His profession is "Farmer". The informant was Mrs. F. L. HALOUPEK (his daughter Katie).
Joseph SEVCIK obituary
Jos. Shefchik Passed Away Saturday A. M.
Was Born in Bohemia on March 5, 1850
Joseph Shefchik, for the past twenty years a resident of this city, passed away at the home of his daughter, Mrs. F. L. Haloupek, 1505 4th ave., on Saturday morning, Dec. 20th, at 8 o’clock. His illness was of one week duration following asthma and the infirmities of his advanced years.
Mr. Shefchik was born in Zalazan Bohemia, March 5, 1850, and was the son of Joe and Anna Shefchik.
He came from Bohemia to Tama Iowa, in 1881, living there for three years and in 1911 he moved to this city. He was a locksmith but in late years a farmer and until he retired to this city to make him home (sic)
His marriage to Miss Anna Mickalus took place in Bohemia in 1873 and they were the parents of five children, who all grew to manhood and womanhood. The eldest, Anna, passed away a few years ago and his wife also preceded him in death.
Those surviving are: Mary Hadima of this city, Fannie Mornow (sic) of Kingfisher, Okla., Frank Shefchik of Tama and Mrs. Katie Haloupek of this city. He also leaves sixteen grandchildren.
The funeral services were held on Monday afternoon at the home of his daughter and Rev. Vinton Lee of the Congregational church was in charge.
The body was laid to rest in Oak Hill cemetery.
The Belle Plaine Union (Belle Plaine, IA) Thursday, 25 Dec 1930, page 1
The obituary above has a few mistakes. Joseph's wife didn't precede him in death. His daughter's name is MORROW, not MORNOW. It says he moved from Tama to Belle Plaine in 1911, then did some farming (where? when?) and moved back to Belle Plaine (when?). We know from census records that Joseph was in Belle Plaine in 1920 and 1930. It is possible that Joseph changed his name to SHEFCHIK, and his son Frank did, because Americans pronounce SHEFCHIK close to the way Czechs pronounce the original ŠEVČIK. However I have no other records indicating that Joseph used this spelling.
It is strange that the funeral was conducted by a minister of the Congregational Church, since the SEVCIKs were originally Catholic. The 1925 Census (see the section on Frank, toward the bottom of this page) has them still Catholic, and their daughter Anna is Catholic, but married to a Protestant. Katie and her family are Congregational.
Anna (MIKLAS) SEVCIK died almost 6 years after her husband, on 21 Oct 1836. Both Joseph and Anna died at the home of their daughter, Katie, in Belle Plaine.
Anna (MIKLAS) SEVCIK obituary
Mrs. Anna Sevcik Passes Away
Mother of Mrs. F. L. Haloupek and Mrs. Mary Hadima.
Mrs. Anna Sevcik, widow of Joseph Sevcik of this city, passed away at the hospital at Independence, Iowa, on Wednesday, October 21st at 10:25 a.m. following an Illness of 3 months
due to hardening of the arteries. She had been seriously ill for the past several days preceding her death and her daughters, Mrs. Mary Hadima and Mrs. F. L. Haloupek of this city were called to her bedside on Monday.
Mrs. Sevcik was a native of Bohemia, now Czechoslovakia, near Vienna, on October 7th, 1855. She was a daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Micholas. In the fall of 1875, she was married in her native land to Joseph Sevcik.
In July 1881, they came to this country with their family and this city was her home for many years.
Mr. Sevcik preceded her in death passing away in this city on December 20th, 1930.
She was the mother of the following children, Mrs. Mary Hadima and Mrs. F. L. Haloupek, of this city, Mrs. F. E. Morrow of Kingfisher, Okla., and Frank Sevcik, of Tama, Iowa, and a daughter, Mrs. Anna Leininger, who died in this city, October 6, 1928. Besides her children who survive her are 16 grandchildren and two great grandchildren, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will not be held until 2:30 o'clock on Friday afternoon awaiting the arrival of her son-in-law, Mr. F. L. Haloupek, from Antigo, Wis.
The service will be at the Driscoll chapel and burial will be in Oak Hill cemetery in the family lot.
The Belle Plaine Union (Belle Plaine, IA) Thursday, 22 Oct 1936, page 1
Old Photos
I think these are the four SEVCIK girls: Anna, Mary, Fannie and Katie. But which is which? The second from the left looks like Katie, my grandmother. About 1905?
Two of the SEVCIK sisters, with Katie on the right. Jean (MORROW) CROSSWHITE says the one on the left is her grandmother, Fannie SEVCIK.
Closeup of the previous picture.
Katherine Bess "Katie" (SEVCIK) HALOUPEK
The SEVCIKs in the 1920s.
I think this is the ŠEVČIKs. Anna and Joseph in the front. Frank and Katie in back. The three in the middel row must be Mary, Fannie and Anna, but I don't know which is which. Jean (MORROW) CROSSWHITE says the one on the left is Fannie.
Anna SEVCIK and Red LEININGER lived in BP. They had no children.
1 Anna SEVCIK b: 26 Jul 1875 in Zalazany, Bohemia, d: 06 Oct 1928 in Belle Plaine, Benton, IA, age 53
+ Ernest Earl "Red" LEININGER b: 25 Mar 1885, m: 27 Jan 1916, d: 1928, age 42 or 43
Mary SEVCIK and Edward Joseph HADIMA, son of James HADIMA and Rosa JANU, were married on 16 Aug 1896. She was 19 and he was about 21. They had three sons, and lived in BP. The two youngest boys died in 1904, at ages 3 and 5, possibly of influenza.
..... 1 Edward Joseph HADIMA b: 1875 in IA, d: 1953, age 78
..... + Mary SEVCIK b: 20 Jul 1877 in Zalazany, Bohemia, m: 16 Aug 1896 in Benton, IA, d: 1958, age 81
........... 2 Edward Joseph HADIMA b: 20 Dec 1896 in BP
........... + Hazel DENUNE b: 24 Jun 1894 in Iowa City, Wright, IA, d: Aug 1986 in BP, age 92
........... 2 Donald HADIMA b: 02 Jan 1899 in BP, d: 15 Mar 1904, age 5
........... 2 Earl HADIMA b: 06 Sep 1900, d: 07 Feb 1904, age 3
In 1900 Katie was living with her older sister, who had a husband and 2 young sons. They have a rented home on Walnut Street in Belle Plaine.
By 1910, Mary and her son Edward lived with her sister Anna, who was still unmarried. Mary was said to be married, 13 years, her 1st marriage, but Joseph was not present. They had a rented house on 12th Street, Belle Plaine. Mary and Anna were both working as cooks in restaurants. The census says that the immigrated in 1883, which contradicts other records.
ARMSTRONG-HADIMA-SHEFCHIK restaurants
Armstrong & Shefchik have disposed of the Armstrong Cafe to Mrs. L. T. Auld, formerly of Ames, who is now in possession. The Armstrong Cafe has enjoyed a splendid business and the high standard established by Messrs. Armstrong & Shefchik will be maintained by Mrs. Auld. Mr. and Mrs. Auld and family have rented the rooms over the Union office formerly occupied by O. W. Miller.
The Belle Plaine Union (Belle Plaine, IA) Thursday, 20 Mar 1913, page 10
Ben Armstrong, who has been in the restaurant business here for several years with considerable success, has sold his interest in the West End Cafe to Edward Hadima and has gone to Clinton, where he will probably open a new restaurant. The new firm name is Shefchik & Hadima. Mr. Shefchik has been with Mr. Armstrong for several years and is thoroughly conversant with the business and with Mr. Hadima will continue to give the patrons of their restaurant the same splendid service that has characterized it in the past.
The Belle Plaine Union (Belle Plaine, IA) Thursday, 26 Mar 1914, page 12
Ben ARMSTRONG was a restaurant owner, and business partner of Frank SHEFCHIK. They sold the Armstrong Cafe in Mar 1913. This was just a few days after an incident in which Frank's wife caused some trouble by drawing a gun in a store. The article toward the bottom of this page gives details, and refers to Frank as "the night cook at Armstrong's restaurant". Ben ARMSTRONG was also part owner of the West End Cafe, and sold his share in 1914, to Edward HADIMA, who had a partner named SHEFCHIK, who "has been with Mr. Armstrong for several years and is thoroughly conversant with the business". So I suspect that Frank SHEFCHIK sold his laundry, came to Belle Plaine shortly after May 1910, bought a share of the Armstrong Cafe, sold out in 1913, bought into the West End Cafe, and by 1920, went to work for the BUCHWALD laundry.
Mary (SEVCIK) HADIMA later married Ben ARMSTRONG. I'm not sure about the sequence of events.
In 1920 Mary and Ben ARMSTRONG are living in rented homes on 12th Street, Belle Plaine. Since they are listed consecutively, they probably were neighbors. Mary was still married, but her husband was not present. This census says that Mary immigrated in 1884 (another mistake, I think) and was naturalized in 1890. Ben and Mary were both general laborers in restaurants.
Edward Joseph HADIMA was granted a divorce on 3 Feb 1925, on grounds of desertion. Mary had no children with her second husband, Ben ARMSTRONG. Joseph was listed in later censuses as a widower, but in fact Mary outlived him. I have not found Mary in later censuses, but I have a couple of photos of her in old age.
In 1930 Mary was still on 12th Street, in Belle Plaine. She paid $12/month in rent.
Mary (SEVCIK) HADIMA
I believe this is Katie (SEVCIK) HALOUPEK and Mary (SEVCIK) HADIMA.
Frantiska "Fannie" SEVCIK married Fred Everett MORROW, son of James Alexander MORROW and Mary Jane ROCK.
Fred and Fannie MORROW and their five children moved around quite a bit. The married in Pawnee City, NE in 1901 and had their first child there in 1903. Pawnee City was also the home of Rena PIERCE, wife of Fannie's brother, Frank. Both families moved to Osage, Mitchell County, IA and stayed there a short time. Fred and Fannie were in Kingfisher, OK in 1910, but by 1911 they had moved to Seymour, Baylor County, TX, where they started a laundry business. About 1923, they moved their business back to Kingfisher, OK, where they lived the rest of their lives.
1 Frantiska "Fannie" L. SEVCIK b: 20 Sep 1880 in Zalazany, Bohemia, d: 03 Sep 1955 in Kingfisher, Kingfisher, OK
+ Fred Everett MORROW b: 08 Jul 1874 in IL, m: 14 Oct 1901 in Pawnee City, Pawnee, NE, d: 1942
......2 Lula Ruth MORROW b: 08 Sep 1903 in Pawnee City, Pawnee, NE, d: 05 Mar 1999 in Kingfisher, Kingfisher, OK
...... + Martin John KARRENBROCK b: 20 Feb 1907 in Hiawatha, Brown, KS, d: 04 Jul 1999 in Kingfisher, Kingfisher, OK
......2 Eva Mae MORROW b: 27 Nov 1907 in Osage, Mitchell, IA, d: 01 Oct 1995 in Bozeman, Gallatin, MT
......2 Earl Everett MORROW b: 20 Dec 1911 in Seymour, Baylor, TX, d: 13 Nov 1975 in Kingfisher, Kingfisher, OK
...... + Leona Thomas LUCAS b: 11 Sep 1918 in Breckenridge, CO, m: 11 Feb 1939 in Pottawatomie, OK, d: 27 Apr 2010 in Kingfisher, Kingfisher, OK
......2 Mardell Elaine MORROW b: 08 Jun 1915 in Baylor, Texas
...... + Alvin Burton CODE b: 28 Mar 1909 in Minneapolis, Hennepin, MN, m: Bet. 1930–1937, d: 15 Jun 1974 in Burbank, Los Angeles, CA
...... + Leland Brumfield PAYNE b: 14 Apr 1926 in Roseville, Placer, CA, m: Aft. 1959, d: 03 Aug 1989 in Bozeman, Gallatin, MT
......2 James Alexander MORROW b: 15 Jul 1917 in Seymour, Baylor, TX, d: 03 Oct 1953 in Moody Afb, Georgia
...... + Docia Mae LGWYN b: 1920 in OK, m: Bef. May 1940
Note: There is a birth certificate for Earl Everett MORROW on which the name is very hard to read, and someone has transcribed it as Ernest Carl. This has caused some confusion. Many other records say Earl Everett.
In 1910 the MORROW family had a rented home on 6th Street in Kingfisher, OK. Fred was unemployed, and Fannie was a cook, like her sisters back in Belle Plaine.
In 1920 Fred and Fannie owned a home, free of mortgage, on McLain Street in Seymour, Baylor County, TX, and operated a steam laundry. They had 5 children.
In 1930 Fred MORROW is the owner of a home valued at $4,000 at 301 Sixth Street, Kingfisher, OK. All 3 children had attended school in the past year, and they are the proud owners of a radio set. Fred and Fanny run a laundry, which seems to be the family business.
The Kingfisher County News (Kingfisher, OK) Monday, 27 Jun 1927, page 7 [click for larger image]
Frank SEVCIK changed the spelling to SHEFCHIK. He married Lurena "Rena" PIERCE on 25 Sep 1907 in Pawnee City, Pawnee, NE.
Frank and Rena. [Thanks to Mike HUSTON for the photo. I cropped and messed with the image a bit. Email me if you want the original.]
Frank and Rena SHEFCHIK had five children. Frank changed the spelling of his name to SHEFCHIK, which is closer to the Czech pronunciation. The family moved from Tama, Iowa, to Pawnee City, Nebraska, then Osage, Iowa, and then back to BP. Rena, who was part Native American, was from Pawnee City. In 1910, Rena’s brother and sister were living with the SHEFCHIKs, in Osage, Iowa.
In 1910 Frank and Rena had a rented home on State Street, in the city of Osage, Mitchell County, Iowa. Frank was proprietor of a laundry. Rena's brother and sister lived with them, and worked at the laundry.
CRAZED WOMAN DRAWS A GUN
Mrs. Sheffchik, of Belle Plaine, Becomes Crazed While in Store and Draws Revolver.
Belle Plaine Union: Last Saturday afternoon H. H. Boyson and his clerks had an experience that it is not likely they will want to see repeated again and all are thanking their lucky stars that it terminated as fortunately as it did.
Mrs. Frank Sheffchik, wife of the night cook at Armstrong's restaurant came in and left a ring to be repaired that belonged to a friend who was to call for it in the evening. Her actions were rather strange from the first. She hung around the store for some time asking questions of Mr. Boyson and his clerks and her manner was such as to indicate that she was out of her head or under the influence of drink. Finally she went to the back of the room where Mr. Boyson was engaged with a traveling salesman drew a revolver from her hand bag pointed it directly at him and demanded the return of the ring she had left to be repaired.
Right here is where Mr. Boyson began to sit up and take notice. He proceeded to the front of the store as gracefully as he could went behind the counter and securing the ring gave it to the infuriated woman who had followed him. She continued to rage. Finally Mr. Boyson caught her unaware and threw her arms above her head. With the assistance of Mr. Souders, a clerk, and two other men, Mrs. Sheffchik was overpowered, the gun taken from her, and shoved out of the door. All this time she was fighting like a maniac and seemed to possess superhuman strength. Finding she was barred from the store she beat a retreat to her home and was still raving when she reached there.
Wednesday she was arrested on a warrant sworn out by Mr. Boyson and given a preliminary hearing before Mayor Burnham. She was fined $10.00 and costs. It was brought out at the hearing that the woman was sick and it is claimed she had taken a dose of liniment by mistake for medicine and that this was what caused her condition. It was also brought out that she is the mother of two small children, one a baby and that the baby was very sick. Her husband is a hard working man of good reputation and in view of all the circumstances Mayor Burnham, who has the biggest kind of a heart, was as lenient with Mrs. Sheffchik as the law would permit.
Vinton Eagle (Vinton, IA) 11 Mar 1913, page 1
Frank Ed SHEFCHIK and family, circa 1917
Frank's WWI draft card, dated 12 Sep 1918, shows that he and his family were at 906 9th Ave, Belle Plaine at that time. His occupation is "Employ Laundry" and his employer is E. O. BUCHWALD, on 8th Ave.
In 1920 the family is still in the rented home at 906 9th Ave, Belle Plaine.
The 1925 Iowa State Census has a lot of good information, including parents' names, ages and birthplaces. Unfortunately, it mistakenly lists the parents of Joseph and Anna as themselves. (I've left that out, since it's obviously incorrect.) On the same page of the census are the families of Frank's sisters, Anna and Katie, so they probably all lived on 4th Avenue in Belle Plaine. The numbering is confusing, but it looks like Frank and family are at 1305 4th Ave, and Anna (SEVCIK) LEININGER and her husband are at 1409 4th Ave. We know from other sources that Katie (SEVCIK) HALOUPEK and her family lived at 1505 4th Ave. The 1925 Census tells us that Joseph owned his home, valued at $1,400, free of mortgage, and Frank rented a home for $15/month. The LEININGERs owned a home, valued at $2,000, also free of mortgage. The HALOUPEK home was valued at $5,000, but had a $4,200 mortgage. Although Joseph and Anna were still Catholics, Frank had become a Presbyterian, his wife was Baptist, and their children were Protestant.
By 1930, Frank and Rena's 4 children were all grown, and they moved to Tama, where they rented a place at 115 McLellan for $18/month. They did not own a radio set! I'm not sure what a "Ry. coal sheeter" does.
The 1940 US Census finds Frank and Rena at 406 E. 4th Street, Tama. Frank has been doing masonry work for a cement contractor, but he had been unemployed for 26 weeks. Harry and Bessie have moved back in with their parents, although Bessie is married. All 4 lived at the same place in 1935. Harry is a track worker for the railroad, but has not had full employment. Bessie is a bookkeeper for an ice company.
1 Frank Edward SHEFCHIK b: 31 Aug 1884 in IA, d: Aft. 1963
+ Lurena "Rena" PIERCE b: 1886 in MO, m: 25 Sep 1907 in Pawnee City, Pawnee, NE, d: Aft. 1963
........... 2 Raymond Chester "Chet" SHEFCHIK b: 22 Feb 1906 in NE, d: Jul 1975 in Tama, Tama, IA
........... + Genevieve COLLINS b: 23 Apr 1911 in Marshalltown, Marshall, IA, m: 31 Aug 1935 in Marshalltown, Marshall, IA, d: 26 Jul 2005 in Tama, Tama, IA
........... 2 Bessie L SHEFCHIK b: 30 Jan 1909 in Pawnee City, Pawnee, IA, d: 21 Sep 2008 in Toledo, Tama, IA
........... + Robert E. INGELS b: 10 Oct 1907 in Iowa, m: Apr 1940, d: 16 Dec 1989 in Tama, Tama, IA
........... 2 Harry Frank SHEFCHIK b: 1912 in Osage, Mitchell, IA, d: 6 Oct 1972 in Hot Springs, Fall River, SD
........... + Dorothy SEFFINGA b: 1917 in Marshalltown, Marshall, IA, m: 02 Jul 1938 in Marshalltown, Marshall, IA
........... 2 Harold Eugene SHEFCHIK b: 25 Jun 1917 in Belle Plaine, Benton, IA, d: 08 Apr 1974 in Tama, Tama, IA
........... + Edith Mae HAMIEL b: 28 Aug 1918 in Tama, IA, m: 10 Apr 1939 in Lancaster, Schuyler, MO, d: 08 Apr 2011 in Toledo, Tama, IA
Left: Bessie SHEFCHIK, from the 1927 South Tama High School Yearbook
Right: Harold SHEFCHIK, from the 1934 South Tama High School Yearbook
Harry SHEFCHIK.
[Thanks to Mike HUSTON]
Raymond and Genevieve SHEFCHIK.
Harry SHEFCHIK became quite a war hero in WWII. Please see the page devoted to Harry's military service.
Bessie (SEVCIK) INGLES obituary
Bess L. Ingles, 99, Tama, died Sunday, Sept. 21, 2008, at Carrington Place in Toledo following a short illness. Funeral Services will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2008 at 10:30 a.m. at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama with Pastor Dewey Grimes officiating. Interment will follow at Oak Hill Cemetery, Tama.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, Sept. 23 from 5-8 p.m. at Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home.
Bess was born on Jan. 30, 1909, in Pawnee City, NE, the daughter of Frank and Rena (Pierce) Shefchik.
She graduated from Tama High School and attended Business College in Illinois.
In April of 1940, she was united in marriage to Robert E. Ingles. Bess was City Clerk of Tama for many years and also owned and operated the Gas Light Club in Tama. She served as Tama Mayor from 1979-81 and also had served as a member of the Tama City Council. She was a member of the Oak Hill Cemetery Association, Fraternal Order of Eagles in Tama, and the Tama American Legion Auxiliary. She founded the Business and Professional Women's Club in Tama and was a former County Chair of the Democratic Party. Bess was active in starting the Farmers Market in Tama and was the former Secretary of the Tama Chamber of Commerce. Her hobbies included reading and crocheting. She enjoyed dancing in her younger years.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Robert in 1989; three brothers, Chet, Harry, and Harold Shefchik; and a son-in-law, Paul Michael.
Survivors include her daughter, Anne Michael of Tama; two grandsons, Tim (Judy) Rebik, Marshalltown, and Joe Rebik , Iowa City; three great-grandchildren, Lucas, Emily and Ben Rebik. Memorials may be directed to the Oak Hill Cemetery Association.
The Courier (Waterloo, IA) Tuesday, 23 Sep 2008, page 6
Kathryn Bess "Katie" SEVCIK and Frank Louis HALOUPEK were married in BP in 1908. In 1910, Katie’s mother Anna was living with the young couple. In 1920, her father Josef was living with them. In both census reports, Josef and Anna were listed as married. Frank was a blacksmith for the C&NW railroad. Katie and Frank had six children, and they lived in BP, at 1505 4th Ave.
..... 1 Frank Louis HALOUPEK b: 25 Mar 1881 in BP, d: 18 Jun 1965 in Cedar Rapids, Linn, IA
..... + Kathryn Bess ŠEVČIK b: 25 Sep 1885 in Tama, Tama, IA, m: 03 Jun 1908 in BP, d: 14 Jan 1963 in BP
........... 2 Jack Louis HALOUPEK b: 10 Apr 1924 in BP, d: 03 Feb 1994 in Springfield, Greene, MO
........... + Lois Maxine POSEKANY b: 21 Dec 1927 in Keystone, Benton, IA, m: 07 Nov 1948 in Elberon, Tama, IA, d: 06 Oct 2009 in Springfield, Greene, MO
........... 2 Donald Albert HALOUPEK b: 22 Jan 1911 in BP, d: 26 Nov 1991
........... + Helen F. BAKER b: 1912, m: 1937, d: 1942 in BP
........... + Genevieve MILLS b: 21 Aug 1908 in Tama, Tama, IA, d: 29 Dec 2000 in Cedar Rapids, Linn, IA
........... 2 Dorothy Marie HALOUPEK b: 02 Oct 1914 in BP, d: 26 May 1998 in Marion, Linn, IA
........... + Guy H. MCCAUSLAND b: 21 Nov 1917 in Butler, Scott, IA
........... 2 George Joseph HALOUPEK b: 31 Dec 1916, d: 04 Oct 1997
........... + Dorothy Mae DITZLER b: 20 Mar 1921 in BP, m: 03 Sep 1945 in Nashua, Chickasaw, IA, d: May 1993 in Cedar Rapids, Linn, IA
........... 2 Walter Orville HALOUPEK b: 18 May 1921, d: 01 Oct 1944
........... 2 William Franklin HALOUPEK b: 26 May 1928 in BP, d: 15 Dec 1987 in Marshalltown, Marshall, IA
........... + Arlene Lois JACOBI b: 02 Dec 1938
........... + Gertrude L. ROBB b: 28 Feb 1926, m: 22 Dec 1967, d: 08 Sep 2010
Katie and Frank HALOUPEK are also on the CHALOUPEK and HALOUPEK pages. Also see this page on Katie (SEVCIK) HALOUPEK.
Last updated 31 Mar 2020 by William Haloupek. Contact haloupek at gmail dot com.