1991 – The 11th Souhrada Family Reunion
  Saturday, August 10, 1991 Dinner at Davis Corner Restaurant, Cresco, Iowa

   Sunday, August 11th, 1991 Champlin Hall, Cresco, Iowa
     Hosted by Velma, Barbara, and Gordon Flynn, Anton Vanicek, Frank and Linda Souhrada III, Hope Souhrada and Leota Campbell

Saturday evening 20 family members plus one family friend enjoyed good food and fellowship sewed at the Davis Corners Restaurant. On Sunday, Velma Flynn registered 54 family members plus 3 friends of the family while three sisters, Viola and LaVonne Noska and Donna Urman took charge of our reunion finances. Anton Vanicek, Gordon, Velma and Barbara Flynn brought our Souhrada Family genealogy records up to date this past year. These records were on display so everyone could up-date their family heritage. Thanks to Hope Souhrada our reunion area and dining tables were brightened with beautiful flower arrangements. Preceding our noontime meal Emil Souhrada thanked God for our food and asked for our gathering to be blessed.

Frank Souhrada III and Anton Vanicek were the main speakers for our afternoon program and shared with us their adventures in our homeland, the Czech Republic. Frank spoke first telling of the adventure that he and his wife Linda had in September 1990 when they traveled to the Czech Republic with the desire on Frank’s part to see firsthand the place of his ancestors’ origins. They found the Souhrada farm home, Dolní Novosedly #2 and talked to a lady that lived in the area. She told them she remembered when some Souhrada’s had lived there but that they had moved away long ago. Frank and Linda were thrilled to find the farm home but disappointed that they didn’t connect with any of our Souhrada family. Frank told us that months later he received a letter from Jiri Souhrada, living in the Czech Republic. Seems the lady Frank talked to near the Souhrada home got in touch with Jiri and informed him that Souhrada’s from the USA were looking for Souhrada family members. Jiri as it turned out is not only a member of our Souhrada family but is Frank’s 3rd cousin. What an exciting find! Frank and Linda along with Anton Vanicek returned to the Czech Republic and met with Jiri and his wife Vera and Vera’s sister Eva Truhlarova. What a blessing Eva was to the group because she spoke and wrote English very well. Anton and Frank shared with us their adventure of being escorted through our homeland by Jiri, Vera & Eva.

(Read more about the first meeting with Jiri and Vera from Frank’s story and Anton’s narrative.

Following this Anton showed the video he made of Jiri and Vera and their sons, their farmland & the beautiful surrounding area. Later that afternoon Anton videoed while Leota Campbell interviewed family members attending the reunion. Anton sent this video to Jiri and Vera and their two sons, Pavel and Tomas in the Czech Republic, to introduce them to some of their Souhrada family members here in the USA.

By Leota Campbell

Frank Souhrada III updates the attendees on their travels to the Souhrada homelands in Czechoslovakia

To view the entire picture album from this year's reunion, click here.

Those attending the Saturday night dinner and/or the Sunday reunion were:

·        Frank Souhrada, Jerry and Linda Souhrada, Lavine Greenslade, Delbert Rassman, Will and Hazel Rassman from Cresco, IA

·        Viola Leslie, John and Hope Souhrada, Dalyn and Phyllis Souhrada and Eunice Nelson, (friend) from Lime Springs, IA

·        Emil and Ardis Souhrada from Chester, IA

·        Todd, Karen, April and Anna Souhrada of Saratoga, IA

·        Marlys Gronwoldt, Lynsey Gronwoldt, Marketta Souhrada and Leonard Mayer, (friend) of Riceville, IA

·        Gary, Rosemary and Eric Knutson of Decorah, IA

·        Barbara Flynn, Whitney Flynn, Rick and Gretchen Flynn and Gordon and Velma Flynn of Davenport, IA

·        Mona Feuss, Lydia Ethridge and Lillian Vacek of Oxford Junction, IA

·        Edna Henningsen of Onslow, IA

·        Rita Stange of Walcott, IA

·        Patricia Lyon of Wyoming, IA

·        Janel and Sara Stephens of Tipton, IA

·        Charles Souhrada of Foun­tain, MN

·        Rick, Cheryl and Molly Lamon of Lanesboro, MN

·        Anna Merrill of Spring Val­ley, MN

·        Adam Young, (friend), of Princeton, MN

·        Viola Noska of Park Rapids, MN

·        Jason Noska of Clarissa, MN

·        Johnny and Donna Urman of Long Prairie, MN

·        Jane M. Souhrada of Minneapolis, MN

·        Leota Campbell of Edina, MN

·        Bob Kirby of Tucson, AZ

·        La Vonne Noska of Springfield, IL

·        Frank and Dorothy Souhrada, Jr. of Greeley, CO

·        Frank and Linda Souhrada III of Kaysville, UT