Sunday, November 19, 2017

Agnes Vondra Thurston, 1884 - 1942











Agnes Vondra was born March 26 and baptized March 30, 1884. Her Czech name was Angezchka Vondra-ova. The birth record says that she was katholic (Catholic), female, and legitimate. She was born at Usilov house 38, where her parents lived. The last column on the right indicates the midwife who helped with her birth, Marie ______.






Jan Vondra (her father), was a blacksmith (kovar) from Usilov house 38, son of Matej (Matthew) Vondra, blacksmith, and his wife, Marie, born Zitek of Meltholz house 4, of  _____.
Marie, daughter of Jakub Sedlacek, farmer (rolnika) of Mlynec house 6 and Josepha, born Marka, Mlynec house 5 of Klatovy district.
The section to the right indicates sponsors.













1905 census card, Agnes Vondra, age 21 is a farmer. The card lists her place of birth as Austria and the number of years she has lives in South Dakota and the United States as 21 years.


This is the record of Agnes homestead.
Mrs. Thurston Buried Last Sunday
Agnes Vondra was born on March 26, 1884, in Bohemia. As a babe in arms she came to the United States. Her people settled in the northern part of Hyde County (South Dakota) during the early eighties, where she has lived all her life.
She received her education in the rural schools with one year in the Highmore Public School, after which time she took the teacher’s examination, received her teacher’s certificate, and began teaching in the rural schools of Hyde and Faulk counties.
She was united in marriage to Joseph G. Thurston on March 30th, 1910. They established a home in Banner Township, and have lived there up to the time of her death.
To this union two children were born: Marion and Ruth.
She passed away in the early morning of April 16th at the St. Mary’s Hospital in Pierre, S.D., where she had been taken for treatment.
At the time of her death, she was fifty-eight years and twenty-one days old.
She is survived by her husband, two daughters, one grandchild, four brothers, and seven sisters, all of whom are living in the near neighborhood, except two: Mrs. Hall Jarvis (Jessie) of Faulkton, and Mrs. H. Scott (Barbara) of Chadron, Nebraska. The brothers are: James, Joe, John and Will Vondra. Her other sisters are: Emma Vondra, Mrs. Martin Bouzek (Mary), Mrs. Schuyler Hanson (Anna), Mrs. Ray Hanson (Bessie), Mrs. George Sporrer (Josie). Another brother, Frank, passed away several years ago.
Although she was not well, having been under a doctor’s care for some time, for high blood pressure, and heart trouble, no one thought her in immediate danger. A severe attack of influenza brought on complications which proved to be fatal.
On Easter Sunday she was taken to St. Mary’s hospital at Pierre where she would be nearer a doctor and would receive much better care than could possibly be given at home. For about nine days her condition remained about the same or slightly improved, but the attack of the flu left her with pneumonia and that, with the other complications, proved too much for her to withstand. Her husband, two daughters, and one sister went to her bedside Tuesday, April 14, called there by a sudden change in her condition for the worse, and were with her until the end, which came peacefully, soon after 12 o’clock midnight, Thursday, April 16th.
The funeral services, under the direction of undertaker, A.N. Hurd, of Highmore, with Rev. Slocum of the United Church of Highmore as minister, were held in the home which she had helped so ably to build and maintain for many year, at 2 P.M. on Sunday, April 19, 1942.
John Lusk, James Palon, Frank Baloun, John Kozel, Ed Volek, and Tom McGough, all friends and acquaintances of long standing were pallbearers.
She was laid to rest in the Bohemian Cemetery in northern Hyde County, among relatives, friends, acquaintances and neighbors who have gone before.
Attending the funeral from outside the community were: Mr. and Mrs. William Morrison of Sioux Falls, Mrs. Harry Peek, Clyde Day, Mrs. Estel Dillman and three children, all of Huron; Mr and Mrs. Porter Hall of Harrold, Mrs. Carroll Davis and Ben Killinger of Holabird, all of whom were old friends. One sister, Mrs. Scott, was unable to be present due to sudden illness of her own young son.
Thus we have come to the end, and close the book of life of one who has been an active member of her community, socially and politically, but the memory of her will remain in the hearts of many for years to come.
CARD OF THANKS
We take this means of expressing our thanks and appreciation for the help, sympathy, and the beautiful flowers sent to us on this occasion of our great loss. To each and every one of you in our hour of trial.
Joseph G. Thurston an Marion
Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Lusk (Ruth) and Rita Ann
Mr. and Mrs. Martin Bouzek and Family
James, Joe, John, Will and Emma Vondra
Mr. and Mrs. Hall Jarvis and Family (Jessie)
Mr. and Mrs. Schuyler Hanson and Family (Anna)
Mr. and Mrs. Ray Hanson (Bessie)
Mr. and Mrs. George Sporrer and Family (Josie)
Mr. and Mrs. Harris Scott and Family (Barbara)

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