Viola Kielas

Viola Jane Mikolichek Kielas, age 94 of Lester Prairie passed away on Wednesday, June 7th, 2017 at The Good Samaritan in Howard Lake.

Viola Jane Vorlicek was born on April 5, 1923 in Hale Township, McLeod County the daughter of Edward and Alice (Dostal) Vorlicek.

Viola attended School District #25 (Pleasant Hill) six miles north of Silver Lake.

She worked at Johnson Produce in Cokato, Green Giant in Winsted and later did housework in St. Paul for Carol Brink, the author of children’s books and a book about the Hutchinson Brothers called “Harps in the Wind”.

She enjoyed dancing the polka and attended many dances at Sherman Station and the Swan Lake Pavilion.

Viola Vorlicek and Theophil Mikolichek were married on May 4, 1943 at St. Adalbert’s Catholic Church in Silver Lake.   God blessed their marriage with eight children. 

They lived on a dairy farm in Winsted Township. 

She enjoyed doing farm work, gardening, canning and sewing dresses for the girls.

After seventeen years, they move to a thirteen acre place on the outskirts of Silver Lake.

Viola was a waitress at the Silver Hi Drive-In & Café and did sewing for EDCO in Winsted.

Theophil died in 1971.

Viola married Henry Kielas and moved to Lester Prairie.  Henry died in 1999.  She remained in her home until November of 2015.

Viola liked making quilts for her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She enjoyed dancing, playing cards and board games like Scrabble and visiting with friends and neighbors and her ever growing family.

Survivors include her children: Minerva Stritesky and Mary Ann Artmann of Silver Lake, Dolores (Jack) Sweeney of Cornell, Wisconsin, Harvey (Connie) Mikolichek and Clarence (Melinda) Mikolichek all of Silver Lake, Theresa (Jeff) Rich of Cokato, Dean (Karen) Mikolichek of Silver Lake and Linda Giesen of Donna, Texas; step children: Donald (Karen) Kielas of Silver Lake and Frances Helmbrecht of Hutchinson; forty grandchildren and sixty-eight great grandchildren, five great, great grandchildren and by a sister-cousin Sylvia Wawers.

Preceded in death by her parents Edward & Alice Vorlicek, husbands Theophil Mikolichek and Henry Kielas, granddaughters DeAnn Sweeney and Kim Kielas, sons-in-law Ken Stritesky and Clem Artmann, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law Delphine and Orrin Wraspir, Clara and Art Prochaska, Aloise Mikolichek, Adeline Rose, Odella and Harry Miska and Henry’s twelve brothers and sisters.

A Mass of Christian Burial for Viola Kielas will be held on Friday, June 9th, 2017 at 10:30 A.M. at Holy Family Catholic Church in Silver Lake.  Father Michael Doyle will be the Celebrant.  Interment will follow at Bohemian National Cemetery in Rich Valley Township, McLeod County.

Organist for the Mass will be Alice Nowak.  Special music will be by Franklin Vorlicek.

Reader for the Mass will be Genny Lhotka.

Gift Bearers will be Sherlyn Stristesky and Brian Mikolichek.

A visitation will be held on Thursday, June 8th from 4:30-7:30 P.M. at The Maresh Funeral Home in Silver Lake.  A CCW Rosary will be recited at 4:30 P.M. and a Prayer Service will be held at 7:00 P.M.  Further visitation will be held on Friday, June 9th from 9:00 A.M.-10:00 A.M. at the funeral home.

Honorary Casket Bearers will be her grandchildren.

Casket Bearers will be Kevin Carrigan, Curtis Blaske, Ronald Dostal, Daniel Dostal, LuWayne Wraspir and Garlen Mikolichek.

The Maresh Funeral Home in Silver Lake is serving the family.  

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