Obituary of Georgina S. Caslavka

Georgina S. Caslavka, 88, of North Liberty, died Saturday, June 3, 2017, at her home surrounded by her family.

Funeral Mass will be held at 11 am Saturday, June 11, 2017, at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Iowa City.  Visitation will be from 3:30 pm until 7 pm Friday evening at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service where a parish rosary will be recited at 3:30 pm.  A memorial fund has been established in Georgina’s memory.

Georgina Susanna Wille Caslavka was born September 27, 1928 in Clayton County in a small Iowa town near Garnavillo, Iowa to Regina and William Wille.  She grew up on the family farm where she attended St. Joseph Catholic School through 10th grade, attended public school for one year and then graduated from Immaculate Conception Academy in Dubuque.  Following high school, she taught “in one room”, country schoolhouses for six years while attending Teachers College in Cedar Falls during the summers to obtain her two year teaching certificate.  She taught kindergarten for two years in Clinton Community Schools and then went back to college at the University of Iowa to obtain her bachelor’s degree in elementary education.  It was at the U of I that she met Lynne Caslavka in German class.  Following graduation from the U of I, she went on to teach kindergarten at Taylor Elementary in Cedar Rapids for several years.

Lynne and Georgina married on September 13, 1958, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Garnavillo. They continued to reside in Cedar Rapids until 1966 when they made the move to North Liberty where they would raise their seven children and meet lifelong friends in their neighbors.  When there were no teaching positions available for kindergarten teachers at Penn elementary, Georgina decided to stay home with her children and babysat for others until Joe started school.  She then worked several years at Lantern Park Care Center as the activities director.  She used to say that it was a lot like working with kindergartener’s!  Due to her excellent reputation at the care center, she was asked to manage The Villa, an assisted living facility for seniors.  She was known for having the best meals and entertainment and the waiting list for potential residents was long. The facility closed within two years of her retirement in 1993.

She was a faithful member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church.  She enjoyed being a member of the Altar and Rosary Society, Catholic Daughters, and volunteered as a Eucharistic minister for the homebound as well as other church activities.

Following retirement Georgina enjoyed traveling with her husband and sisters.  She especially enjoyed a trip to Lichtenstein in Europe.  She also enjoyed gardening and collecting flowers, her Red Hat group ladies, friends in two card clubs, her family, and her grandchildren.

Georgina will be remembered for her wonderful baked goods and homemade meals, her amazing crafts and knitting abilities, and for her love of gardening; particularly flowers (because she had such a green thumb).  She had a contagious smile and was a loyal friend.  She will also be remembered for her kindness and generosity to everyone she met.  But she will be remembered most as a great wife, mother, grandmother, and friend.

She is survived by her husband of 58 years, Lynne, her children James (Roxie) Caslavka of Iowa City, Fred (Wendy) Caslavka of Maple Plain MN,  Mary (Charles) Davis of Clarion IA, Ann Caslavka Goll of Washington IA,  Ruth (Dave) Eyman of Davenport IA, Janet (Tim) Vest of North Liberty IA, Joseph Caslavka of Coralville IA, Abby her faithful canine companion, 19 grandchildren: Jamie Caslavka, Ross Caslavka, Shane Caslavka, Brynn Caslavka, Anthony (Megan) Davis, Nathan Davis, Claire Davis, Brendan Davis, Isaac Davis, Ashley Goll, Sadie Goll, Jessica Goll, Trenton Eyman, Nicara Eyman Snow, Matthew Vest, Elizabeth Vest, Stephanie Vest, Jennifer Vest, Cathrine Vest, and 1 great-grandson Zachary Snow, her sister Ruth (Ed) Kiefer, sister-in-law Darlene Wille and numerous nieces and nephew.

She was preceded in death by her parents William and Regina Wille, her brothers and sisters; Paul (Virgil) Wille,  Clarissa (Loraine) McLane , Cecilia Wille, Philomena  (Don) Stewart, Sylvester (aka-Bub) Wille, Gertrude (Dale) Clausing, 2 brothers in infancy, Cletus and Vincent Wille, and in-laws Fred and Marie Caslavka, and Lawrence Caslavka. Georgina was called home to her Lord on June 3, 2017; surrounded by her family at her home in North Liberty.

Georgina and her family wanted to thank Father Beckman for his blessings and support as well as Sister Theresa Kruml, Dr. Greiner, and Iowa City Hospice for their loving care.  Thanks also to all the friends and relatives who have prayed for and visited her during her illness.

In her words, “My greatest joy was my wonderful family.” She will be greatly missed by all of us.