Grace A. Smedra

Grace A. Smedra, 96, of Loup City, died Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009, at the Rose Lane Home in Loup City. Services will be at 10:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Josaphat’s Parish Center in Loup City. The Revs. Marty Egging and Tom Ryan will officiate. Burial will be in the Evergreen Cemetery in Loup City. Visitation will be Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Parish Center, with a 7 p.m. vigil service. Peters Funeral Home of Loup City is in charge of arrangements. Mrs. Smedra was born un Feb. 21, 1913, west of Paplin, the daughter of John and Elizabeth (Gappa) Badura. She was preceded in death by her husband, John A. Smedra. She is survived by three sons and daughters-in-law, John R. and Cheryl Smedra and Frank and Betty Smedra, all of Ord and Tom and Debora Smedra of Mason City; and one sister, Florence Chilewski of Loup City. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great-grandson. As a child, Grace moved with her family to a farm west of Loup City and attended Moon Creek rural school near Loup City. Upon completing her education she farmed with her family. She was united in marriage to John A. Smedra on Jan. 31, 1939, at Loup City. The couple lived and farmed in Sherman County, buying the Smedra home place in 1953. Mr. Smedra died on June13, 1998. Grace continued to live on the farm until 2 ½ weeks ago. She was a member of St. Josepha’s Catholic Church and its Council of Catholic Women and Rosary Sodality. She enjoyed raising chickens, gardening, canning and cooking for her family. In addition to her husband, she was preceded in death by her parents; eight brothers, Alex, Ben, Tony, John, Edmund, Stanley, Hubert and Mike Badura; and six sisters, Anna Carkoski, Antasia Jarzynka, Elizabeth John, Nellie Badura, Josie Kuta and Emma Martin. Memorials are suggested to the Loup City EMT’s or St. Josaphat’s Catholic Church.