Lois Svestka, 85

April 10, 1936 —

Jan. 19, 2022

 

CRESCO - Lois Ann Svestka, age 85, of Cresco, Iowa, passed away on Jan. 19, 2022 at Mayo Clinic Hospital — Saint Marys Campus in Rochester, Minn. 

The funeral service was held held on Tuesday, Jan. 25 at Notre Dame Parish in Cresco.

The funeral service will be live-streamed on Father Jacob Rouse’s YouTube channel. To access the video link, please visit the Notre Dame Parish and Catholic School website.

Lois was born on April 10, 1936 in Story County, Iowa to Clifford and Vivian (Smith) Picht. She graduated from Fernald High School in Fernald, Iowa in 1954. After graduation, she attended Waldorf College and Business School in Des Moines and worked in Des Moines until January 1959, at which time she moved to Cresco where she worked in the Credit Bureau of Howard County. On June 3, 1961 she married Arthur Svestka at the Assumption Church in Cresco. 

Lois was always an avid seamstress, with amazing sewing skills. She made her own wedding dress, all her bridesmaids’ dresses and countless other dresses and outfits for family and friends throughout the years. In her later years she turned to quilting – everything from bed quilts to decorative wall hangings to Christmas tree skirts and more. 

Lois was active in a variety of community groups including the Rosary Society, Hospital Auxiliary, CIMOTA, Quilt Guild and Meals-on-Wheels. She also volunteered her time with her children’s activities like Cub Scouts and Camp Fire. She spent time working for Keune Brothers Construction and Erickson-Prochaska Auction and Real Estate.

Lois was always very happy providing delicious meals and treats for her family. From her potato salad, home-made pizzas and meatloaf, frosted with mashed potatoes, she always made sure they were taken care of. Her kids cannot convey the excitement they would have when they got home from school and smelled the pie crust scraps with cinnamon and sugar or see the angel-food cake cooling upside down on that old pop bottle.

In her free time, Lois really enjoyed playing golf at the Cresco Country Club, taking family camping trips and going on VIP bus tours. Her friends were always an important part of her life. She was a proud member of the Notre Dame BPA, always enjoyed having a Coke with the other Valley Manor Drive moms, appreciated her Saturday morning coffee therapy group and loved playing countless games of Canasta and Bridge with her dear friends. Lastly, and most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.

Lois enjoyed two very special visits in fall 2021. In September, she spent time with all of her children together at Jeff’s home in Rohnert Park, Calif. Later in September, her brother and sister paid her a surprise visit at her home in Cresco.

She is survived by her children, Mike (Sandy) of Owatonna, Minn., Jeff (Jessi Ping) of Rohnert Park, Rochelle of West Des Moines, Iowa and Doug (Jeni) of Lakeville, Minn.; seven grandchildren, Matthew, Emily, Megan, Sunny, Scarlett, Georgia and Mimi; brother, Cliff Picht; sister, Clarise Jean Smith; and many nieces and nephews. 

She was preceded in death by her husband, Art; her parents, Clifford and Vivian; sister, Ilene Jennings; brothers-in-law, Mervin Jennings and Leon Smith; and nephew David Dean.

Memorials are preferred to Regional Health Services of Howard County Hospital Auxiliary, Notre Dame Parish or Howard County Community Hospice. Cards can be sent to Lois c/o Mike Svestka, 1180 Esther Lane, Owatonna MN 55060.