Elsie Kucera

Elsie (Mikeska) Kucera, age 83, of West, passed away Monday evening, August 29, 2005 at West Rest Haven. Funeral services will be held 3:00 p.m. Thursday at West Brethren Church, with the Rev. Curtis Holland officiating. Burial will follow at West Brethren Cemetery. The family will receive visitors from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Wednesday at the funeral home. Mrs. Kucera was born on March 18, 1922 in Abbott, the daughter of Frank and Albina (Hejl) Mikeska. She attended schools in Abbott and graduated from Abbott High School in 1941, where she excelled in basketball and the team had won a state title. On April 21, 1947, she was united in marriage to Mitchell "Nick" Kucera in West. He preceded her in death on May 12, 1972. She was a homemaker and enjoyed working with her husband in the ginning business for the Penelope Coop as a secretary for over ten years until her retirement in 1972. Elsie was very proud of her children and grandchildren and loved saving every newspaper article that mentioned their names. She enjoyed playing bingo and chicken foot with her friends at West Rest Haven and before that at the Senior Citizen Center in West. She was a member of the West Brethren Church, S.P.J.S.T. Lodge No. 54 in West and the West Senior Ministry, where she loved to volunteer her time. Two brothers, Robert Mikeska and Ed Mikeska and two sisters, Marian Adamik and Geraldine Brezina, all precede her in death. Survivors include three sons, Frank Kucera and wife Peggy and Ervin Kucera and wife Janice, all of West and Mitchell Kucera and wife Janet of Burleson; one brother, George Mikeska and wife Frankie Mae of West; three sisters, Ruby Kucera of Ingleside, Elfie Srubar of Abbott and Bessie Suvorik and husband Daniel of Brenham; eleven grandchildren, Melissa Sulak and husband Paul of West, Pamela Darden and husband Jay of Austin, Frankie Kucera Jr. and wife Lisa, Kimberly Kucera, Nick Kucera, Christopher Kucera, and Stefanie Kucera, all of West, Joel Kucera, Mark Kucera, Nicholas Kucera and Krysta Kucera, all of Burleson; seven great-grandchildren, Dawson and Emma Sulak, Noah, Owen & Drew Darden, Macey and Laney Kucera; several nieces, nephews and other relatives. Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Frank Kucera Jr., Nick Kucera, Chris Kucera, Joel Kucera, Mark Kucera, Jay Darden and Paul Sulak. Memorials may be made to West Senior Ministry, West Brethren Church or West EMS.