Royal Vondracek

July 5, 2012

Royal was born January 12, 1916 in Wagner, SD to Anthony Zickmund and Mary (Houck) Vondracek,. He attended school in Wagner until the family moved to Schuyler in 1934 and he graduated from Schuyler High School in 1935. He served in the Army Air Corps from 1939 to 1945. Royal and Wilda Mae “Billie” Peters were married on August 29, 1942 in Sarasota, FL. He was owner/operator of Vondracek Oil and he and Billie owned and operated Schuyler Furniture and Billie’s Tots and Teens Clothing Store. Royal was a member of American Legion, I.O.O. F. Lodge, Schuyler Rotary, Schuyler Chamber of Commerce, Schuyler Historical Society and the First Presbyterian Church where he served as an Elder. He also served on the Schuyler School Board and enjoyed woodworking, building model airplanes, golfing, traveling and was an avid reader of newspapers. On August 3,1990 he married DeElda (Newman) Kaberna in Denver, CO. Royal died July 5, 2012, at the age of 96, at Independence House in Lincoln where he had been a resident about 2 years. Royal is survived by his wife, DeElda Vondracek of Schuyler; son, Roy (Sandy) of Lincoln; daughter, Diane (David) Bell of Franklin, TN; two stepsons, Curt Kaberna and Gary (Jan) Kaberna; five grandchildren, Zane (Lauren) Bell, Syd Bell, Dree (Evan) Saltmarsh, Stacy (Doug) Johnson and Jennifer (Steve) Zatechka; 10 great grandchildren; two stepgrandchildren, Shad and Nikki Kaberna. He is preceded in death by his first wife, Billie (December 3, 1979); grandson, Brant Ashley Bell; two brothers, Earl and Lloyd; four sisters, Marion Kramar, Sylvia Gless, Gladys Writer and Doris Siercks. Family suggest memorials to Alzheimer's Association or Diabetes Foundation. Funeral lunch will be served at the First Presbyterian Church Fellowship Hall following the interment at Purple Cane Cemetery.