Helen Votipka

Helen married Cyril Methodias Bernasek on 23 Feb 1916 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Cyril (son of Cyril Bernasek and Marie Andelova) was born on 22 Feb 1890 in Fillmore County, Nebraska; died on 8 Nov 1993 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried on 12 Nov 1993 in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

ELSIE L DUNGAN 17 May 1917 19 May 2007 (V) 98115 (Seattle, King, WA ) (none specified) 508-09-9289 Nebraska

Notes:

Ken Chromy instead shows her place of death as Seattle, Washington. Said to have married Bill DAVIS.

Notes:

She was married to Leo RYCHECKY and later Telmar ROLFSTAD, both now deceased. Helen lives in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. (Milligan, 1988-2008, p. 112).

Obituary
Helen Rychecky Rolfstad

Helen Rychecky Rolfstad, 89, of Scottsbluff, died Wednesday, July 20, 2011, at Heritage Estates in Gering.

Her memorial service will be held 10 a.m. Monday, July 25, 2011, at Dugan-Kramer Funeral Chapel in Scottsbluff with Pastor Ron Nuss-Warren officiating. Interment will be in the Fairview Cemetery in Scottsbluff.

Memorials may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.

Helen was born on a family farm near the Town of Ohiowa, Nebr. on Sunday, May 28, 1922, to Cyril M. and Helen V. Bernasek. Helen was the youngest of three daughters. She was baptized at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Milligan. When Helen was three years old the family moved to their farm on the Geneva route in Chelsea Township. Helen attended Chelsea School, district 32, through the eighth grade and attended Sunday school and church at the Chelsea United Bretheran Church.

Helen graduated from Geneva High School in 1939, and took Normal training to prepare her for a teaching career. In the fall of 1939 she began teaching in a rural school. After a few years she enrolled in Teachers College the University of Nebraska from which she received a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education. She became a member of the Phi Lambda Theta, a teachers' honorary society.

When she was 17, Helen met her future husband, Leo Rychecky, at a dance she attended in Saline Center. They were married October 6, 1945, in Alliance, Nebr., where Helen was teaching in the Alliance Public Schools. They couple moved to Leo's home area of Wilber, Nebr., and it was here that a son Jack was born in 1949.

In 1951 the family moved to Scottsbluff where Leo continued his auctioneering and real estate business, and Helen went back to teaching. She found every day of her career was a joy. Her biography was printed in Who's Who in Education in the early 1990s.

After Leo's death, Helen moved around a bit and made contact with a former beau, Telmar Folfstad, she had met during World War II when he was stationed at the Alliance Air Base. After a separation of 50 years the couple married. They lived in Willston, N. Dak.

After Telmar's death, Helen decided to move back to Scottsbluff to be closer to family and friends. She rejoined the First Presbyterian Church of which she had been a member many years before. She was a member of the Woman's Circle, an Elder, a Deacon, A Sunday School teacher, and a church librarian.

During her life Helen traveled throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Africa. She was a fabulous baker and made the best Czech kolache this side of heaven.

Survivors are loving son, Jack Rychecky and his caring wife Ann of Littleton, Colo., grandchildren and their spouses, Jill (Wes) Schrader of Littleton, Colo., Thom (Natalie) Rychecky of Edmond, Okla., Helen (Whitney) Hite of Madison, Wisc., and LTJG Per Rychecky of Whidbey Island Navel Air Station, Wash., great granddaughter Lena Rose Rychecky of Edmond, step children, Tom (Dana) Rolfstad of Williston, N. Dak., Dorothy Rolfstad of Mandan, N. Dak., and John Rolfstad of Seattle, Wash; step grandchildren T.C. (Kelci) Rolfstad of Portland, Ore. and Anne Rolfstad of Mandan, N. Dak.; and her extended family and special cousins and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husbands, Leo Rychecky (1988) and Telmar Rolfstad (1999); sisters and their spouses Elsie (Bill) Dungan and Lillian (Bill) Davis

Helen married Leo Rychecky on 6 Oct 1945 in Alliance, Box Butte County, Nebraska. Leo was born on 17 Jun 1918; died on 26 Jun 1988 in Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Helen married Telmar E. Rolfstad after 1988. Telmar was born on 13 Jun 1918; died on 2 Mar 1999 in Williams County, North Dakota. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]