Sophia (Novak) Bender

Sophia (Novak) Bender, age 89, of Decorah, Iowa, died on Thursday, March 23, 2006 at her daughter’s home in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Funeral services will be held on Friday, April 7, 2006 at 11:00 a.m. at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Locust with Rev. Gene Hermeier officiating. Burial will be in the Locust Cemetery. Friends may call from 3:00-6:00 p.m. on Thursday at the Schluter – Balik Funeral Home in Decorah and after 10:00 a.m. at the church on Friday morning. Sophia Viola (Novak) Bender was born on August 2, 1916 the daughter of Charles C. and Anna C. (Praska) Novak. She attended country school. Sophia married Marcelline Bouska on June 2, 1943 in Protivin and two this union, one daughter, Carol was born. They later divorced. Sophia married Vernon Bender on May 27, 1952 in Caledonia, Minnesota. Together they farmed north of Decorah, where they raised livestock, chickens, ducks and geese. She was a strong and independent pioneer lady. She loved gardening and canned many Mason jars of fruits and veggies to provide food for cold Iowa winters. She made homemade sauerkraut in a Red Wing 5 gallon crock. She had a beautiful raspberry patch, which everyone came to pick. She enjoyed the “Old Time music and polkas” and loved to dance with her husband after a hard week’s work. Sophia had been living in Canada with her daughter, Carol for the last two and half years. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her for her feisty personality, her wonderful hospitality and her love of people. Sophia’s survivors include her daughter, Carol Nicol, of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. One grandson: Cameron (Julie) Nicol and their children: Cassandra, Rebecca and Evan of Lynnwood, Washington. Two granddaughters: Margie Diaz and her daughter, Lil Arlem of Cabo San Lucas, Mexico and granddaughter, Cara Gregory and her children, Christina, Dian and Amber of Everett, Washington. And many nieces and nephews in the Decorah and Cresco areas. Sophia was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Vernon in 1989; her son-in-law: Bob Nicol on Dec. 21, 2003; two brothers: James and Julius Novak; two sisters: Henrietta Mracek and Gertrude Voyek.