Mary Grmela

Mrs. John (Mary) Kolar Grmela, age 86, of West, passed away early Friday afternoon, April 25, 2008 at St. Catherine Center in Waco. A rosary will be recited and Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated 1:30 p.m. Sunday at St. Mary's Catholic Church of the Assumption in West, with Rev. Ed Karasek as celebrant. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery near West. The family will receive visitors from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturday at the funeral home. Mrs. Grmela was born on December 18, 1921 in West, the daughter of Frank and Annie (Gerik) Kolar. She attended Alligator School near West. On August 18, 1947 she was united in marriage to John Jerry Grmela in West. He preceded her in death on June 20, 1991. Mary worked as a professional seamstress at Kreditor Manufacturing in Hubbard for over twenty-five years until her retirement. She was a homemaker and loved gardening and cooking for her family. Mary enjoyed playing dominoes, bingo, rocking cards, chicken foot and was an avid Aggie fan. After her retirement she volunteered at West Rest Haven and worked in the kitchen at the Senior Citizen Center in West for over thirteen years. She was a member of St. Mary's Catholic Church of the Assumption, Catholic Daughters of America Court No. 829 and K.J.Z.T. #11 St. Ludmila Society. Her parents and three brothers, Adolph Kolar, Frank Kolar and Rudolph Kolar, all precede her in death. Survivors include one son, Harry Grmela and wife Debbie of Gatesville; two daughters, Georgia Soukup and husband Jerry of Red Oak and Rita Sulak and husband Tom of Ennis; four brothers, Alphonse Kolar of Mt. Calm, Raymond Kolar and Johnny Kolar and wife Edda , all of West, and Albin Kolar of Burleson; two sisters, Angeline Kolar and Annie Marek, both of West; eight grandchildren, Jonathan Soukup and wife Jennie, Kristy Wolter, Julie McCarroll and husband Wes, Jennifer Sulak, Amanda Sulak, Rebekah Grmela, Rachel Grmela and Rhonda Grmela; one great-granddaughter, Molly Soukup; and numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Mary's Parish Center, West Ambulance Association or Providence Hospice.