- Born on: February 20, 1929
- Departed on: December 18, 2018
- Resided in: Marion, IA
Vergermaine Klima
Vergermaine (Vochoska) Klima, 89, of Marion, Iowa, passed away Tuesday, December 18 at the Dennis & Donna Oldorf Hospice House in Hiawatha.
The family will greet friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, January 4, 2019 at The History Center, 800 2nd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids. Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 5, 2019, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marion, Iowa.
Vergie, as she was known by everyone, was born and raised during the Great Depression on a rural Oxford Junction farm without electricity or refrigeration. This would influence the rest of her life. She was strong, determined, hard-working, pragmatic, never wasteful, and grateful for what she had. She also cooked every piece of meat until it was completely and truly dead. She was kind and generous, and a tireless, supportive, loving, and for much of her life, single mother. She was a master kolach baker, as many, many will attest, often using the cherries from her backyard tree for filling. It was a special treat when she and her sister-in-law Lydia Elias baked kolaches together. She loved to dance and was saddened when her physical condition no longer allowed that. She loved dogs. Her natural red hair lit up any room.
She was bright, informed, funny and a gifted story teller, having many stories to tell about her upbringing, her beloved professional wrestler/boxer father Otto and her early years in Cedar Rapids. Although she never adopted the computer, she hand wrote dozens of letters every year to family and friends, including her dear departed friend Dora Charlesworth of England, with whom she became pen pals during WW II and maintained a life-long correspondence.
She worked for many years as a bookkeeper at GMAC in Cedar Rapids. Upon retiring in 1989, she returned to school to become a florist. In her retirement, she worked at Blair’s Florist and the Iowa Popcorn Co, among other places, loving the daily opportunity to meet and engage with people. She could and would talk to anyone, anywhere, and was much beloved by everyone that knew her. She will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her sons Jim Miller of Redmond, Washington, Tim Klima of Cedar Rapids, and Tyler Klima of Marion; grandchildren Andy Miller, Alea Miller Michaelini and Alissa Miller, all of the Seattle, Washington area; great grandchildren Journey Michaelini and Kyra Kline of the Seattle area; brother Virgil Vochoska of Anchorage, Alaska; Sisters-In-Law Marjorie Vohoska of Scottsdale, Arizona, Vera Wallace and Vlasta Langer, both of Cedar Rapids; cousins Sharon Jeffery of Cedar Rapids and Karen (Dean) Cox of Monticello, Iowa; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Louise Vochoska; daughter Cynthia Klima; brother Vernon Vohoska; in-laws Lois Vochoska, Louie and Lydia Elias, Ed and Mary Swenka, George Wallace and Arnie Langer; and former husband Joseph Klima.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids or St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marion.
The family will greet friends from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, January 4, 2019 at The History Center, 800 2nd Ave SE, Cedar Rapids. Funeral Services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, January 5, 2019, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marion, Iowa.
Vergie, as she was known by everyone, was born and raised during the Great Depression on a rural Oxford Junction farm without electricity or refrigeration. This would influence the rest of her life. She was strong, determined, hard-working, pragmatic, never wasteful, and grateful for what she had. She also cooked every piece of meat until it was completely and truly dead. She was kind and generous, and a tireless, supportive, loving, and for much of her life, single mother. She was a master kolach baker, as many, many will attest, often using the cherries from her backyard tree for filling. It was a special treat when she and her sister-in-law Lydia Elias baked kolaches together. She loved to dance and was saddened when her physical condition no longer allowed that. She loved dogs. Her natural red hair lit up any room.
She was bright, informed, funny and a gifted story teller, having many stories to tell about her upbringing, her beloved professional wrestler/boxer father Otto and her early years in Cedar Rapids. Although she never adopted the computer, she hand wrote dozens of letters every year to family and friends, including her dear departed friend Dora Charlesworth of England, with whom she became pen pals during WW II and maintained a life-long correspondence.
She worked for many years as a bookkeeper at GMAC in Cedar Rapids. Upon retiring in 1989, she returned to school to become a florist. In her retirement, she worked at Blair’s Florist and the Iowa Popcorn Co, among other places, loving the daily opportunity to meet and engage with people. She could and would talk to anyone, anywhere, and was much beloved by everyone that knew her. She will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her sons Jim Miller of Redmond, Washington, Tim Klima of Cedar Rapids, and Tyler Klima of Marion; grandchildren Andy Miller, Alea Miller Michaelini and Alissa Miller, all of the Seattle, Washington area; great grandchildren Journey Michaelini and Kyra Kline of the Seattle area; brother Virgil Vochoska of Anchorage, Alaska; Sisters-In-Law Marjorie Vohoska of Scottsdale, Arizona, Vera Wallace and Vlasta Langer, both of Cedar Rapids; cousins Sharon Jeffery of Cedar Rapids and Karen (Dean) Cox of Monticello, Iowa; and numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Louise Vochoska; daughter Cynthia Klima; brother Vernon Vohoska; in-laws Lois Vochoska, Louie and Lydia Elias, Ed and Mary Swenka, George Wallace and Arnie Langer; and former husband Joseph Klima.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library in Cedar Rapids or St. Joseph Catholic Church in Marion.
