Dorothy Marie Vodraska

Dorothy Marie (Thompson) Vodraska was born January 9, 1934 in Buffalo Center, the sixth of 13 children of Lauren and Goldie (Steele) Thompson. She grew up on a farm near Lakota graduating from Lakota High School in 1951. Dorothy married John Wencelav Vodraska on January 22, 1953 at Bancroft, Iowa. They lived for brief periods in Cherokee, Spencer, Sioux City, and Des Moines, Iowa before settling in Spencer, Iowa in 1961. They raised five children in Spencer and enjoyed the many offerings that this community and the region provided growing families. Dorothy enjoyed family activities, gardening, walking, bingo, the Clay County Fair, traveling and volunteering her time in the community. She had an exceptional memory of the many places she visited in her life. Dorothy and John had always planned to spend their retirement years traveling around the country. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, John, in 1987 before they could make many of those trips. In later years, she became a frequent participant in The Farmers Bank's Heritage Club tours and international trips. She traveled frequently and visited every state of the union and for some states, multiple times. She also traveled to Canada, Swaziland, South Africa, Switzerland, Austria, Australia and New Zealand. Her memories from her many trips were a constant source of inspiration and entertainment to her family and friends. Dorothy M. Vodraska died August 13, 2010 at Spencer Hospital, at the age of 76. She was preceded in death by her husband, John, in 1987; son, Wence; parents, Lauren and Goldie (Steele) Thompson; and two brothers, Howard and Harold. She is survived by four of her five children, Anthony Vodraska and his wife Anita Gilbert of Spencer, IA, Theresa Wede and her husband Gary of Sutherland, IA, Timothy Vodraska and fianc� Nancy Kozikowski of Tomahawk, WI, and James Vodraska; nine grandchildren, Ellery Krause (Erik) of Burtonsville, MD, Adrienne Vodraska and fianc� Pam Cruickshank of Brockton, MA, Joshua Wede (Anna) of State College, PA, Ryan Wede (Tiffany) of Sioux Falls, SD, DeNicca Wede of Waterloo, IA, Katie Vodraska at University of Northern Iowa, Curtis Vodraska of Tomahawk, WI, Maggi Vodraska student at Iowa State University and Molli Vodraska student at Columbia College of Chicago; and six great-grandchildren, Zeb Wede, Brynn Wede, Tyrus Wede, Kade Wede, Grace Wede and Olivia Krause. She is also survived by 10 brothers and sisters, Irene Wempen (George) of Buffalo Center, Everett Thompson of Armstrong, Raymond Thompson (Bev) of Mesa, AZ, Ruth Harringa (Melvin) of Buffalo Center, Eldon Thompson of Bancroft, Glen Thompson of Ledyard, Janice Winter (David) of Lakota, Sharon Burt (Marion) of Ledyard, Roger Thompson (Linda) of Lakota, and Larry Thompson (Rita) of Lakota; and many nieces and nephews.

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