Henrietta V. Klecka

Henrietta Sophia Urbish Klecka of East Bernard, Texas passed away peacefully at her home on Tuesday afternoon, July 29, 2009 in the presence of family members and caregivers. . Henrietta was born to Frank Vaclav and Marie Helen Drost Urbish in East Bernard on November 12, 1921. She graduated as Salutatorian of her class from East Bernard High School in 1938, after which she worked at home, assisting her father who was an undertaker and owner of Urbish Funeral Home in East Bernard. She was engaged to her high school sweetheart, Rudolph A. Klecka, who served in the U.S. Army and was stationed in England with the American forces until the end of World War II in 1945. Rudy and Henrietta were married in Holy Cross Church on Nov. 28, 1941. They had three sons: Rudolph Nathan, Jr., James Michael, and Edward Henry Klecka. In 1946, Rudy opened his small dry cleaning business, which later expanded into an apparel store and gift shop specializing in imported crystal from the Czech Republic. In 1955, Henrietta began her career with the United States Postal Service in East Bernard as a Postal Clerk. She was appointed Post Mistress in 1981 and retired in 1991 after 36 years of service. In 1967, Rudy and Henrietta and another couple visited the Czech Republic and contacted relatives in Moravia. Based on that visit, they made the decision to begin organizing genealogy tours for families with ancestral roots in that country. From 1969 through 2004, Klub Kontinental hosted two tours to the Czech Republic each year for a total of hundreds of participants who discovered the beauty and history of their Czech culture. Through the contacts that Henrietta and Rudy secured for them, most made contact with their relatives in that country and discovered the ancestral homes of their immigrant ancestors. The discrete support and encouragement that Henrietta and Rudy gave the Church under communism helped priests and parishes to survive, and after 1989 to thrive in the freedom restored to their country. Henrietta worked together with Rudy to see to the many details of organizing each tour and accompanied him as a gracious host to their guests, among whom were the late Bishop John Morkovsky of Houston and numerous priests and religious women of Czech ancestry. Their dedication to the people of the Czech Republic and their many friends there led Henrietta and Rudy to join doctors of Czech descent in the Houston area to found Texas-Czech Physcian Exchange Program, an organization with the mission of bringing Czech Physicians for three months' study at the Medical Center in Houston with leading physicians in many fields. Henrietta served as a founding member of the Board of Directors for many years. Henrietta was an active member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Court St. C Bernadette and served as Grand Regent. She was also a founding member of the Czech Heritage Society of Wharton County, member of the Czech Cultural Center in Houston, the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion, Post #226 in East Bernard, and served as Cub Scout Den Mother. Henrietta is survived by her husband, Rudolph Nathan Klecka, Sr. and sons, Rudolph Nathan, Jr., James Michael and his wife, Patricia Kay, Edward Henry and his wife, Angelica Butra; grandchildren, Patrick Klecka, Rudy Horak, Emily Klecka, Bernadette and Bernard Butra, Lori Vanta, Jason Britt, Megan Garcia and Cade Nathan Klecka; great-grandchildren Joshua and Lindsey Klecka, Kalynn Klecka, Madison and Colin Vanta, Britt and Mackenzie Garcia. She is also survived by her brother Ben Frank Urbish of Denver, Colorado and numerous cousins, nephews and nieces. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother Justis Urbish of East Bernard and sister, Georgia Marie Urbish Burnside of Buena Vista, California. A Vigil Service will be held on Thursday, July 30 at 7:00 PM in Holy Cross Church, East Bernard. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 10:00 AM in Holy Cross Church, East Bernard, Texas. The family wishes to thank caregivers Emily Svoboda, Lulu Rodriguez, Geneva Martinez, Houston Hospice of El Campo and Doctors Larry Penick, Thai Huynh and Robin Ferguson for their excellent and compassionate care during her final illness. Memorial donations may be made to Holy Cross Church, Svaty Mikolas Church in Petrvald, Czech Republic for Mass intentions, the Catholic Daughters Court St. Bernardette Scholarship Fund, the Czech Cultural Center in Houston or the Feik School of Pharmacy at the University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas.

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Henrietta V. Klecka

November 12, 1921 - July 28, 2009