Sorry, you need to enable JavaScript to visit this website.
Prev article
Jane Cochran
Next article
Gerald E. Foxhoven
Time to read
2 minutes
Read so far

Agnes A. Hejna

Posted in:

TABOR, S.D. — Agnes A. Hejna, 80, Tabor, S.D., died Feb. 21, 2020, at Avera Sister James Care Center, Yankton, S.D.

Funeral Mass was Feb. 28 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Tabor, with the Rev. Fr. Anthony Urban as Celebrant.

Burial followed in the parish cemetery. Visitation, with a Vigil Service and Holy Rosary, was Feb. 27 at the church, and visitation continued for one hour prior to services Friday.

Pallbearers were John Slama, Ron Hejna, Dan Hejna, Brian Beran, Kevin Nordby and Christopher Thoene.

Arrangements were under the direction of Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel, Tabor.

Agnes Ann was born Dec. 30, 1939, at home in Yankton County to Henry and Vincie (Carda) Adam. She grew up on the family farm east of Tabor and attended Peterka District #46 and St. Wenceslaus Catholic School. She graduated from Mount Marty High School in May 1957. Agnes worked as bookkeeper for Montgomery Wards and Tabor Lumber COOP for many years, until her retirement in 2004. She also baked and decorated many beautiful wedding cakes for couples all over the area.

Agnes married her high school sweetheart from across the mile, Kenneth Hejna, June 18, 1960. From this union came two children, Mark and Mary Jane. She and Kenneth lived on the farm near her family farm all their lives. Agnes loved the farm and being part of the whole farming operation.

Agnes was a member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church all of her life. She also was very active in the Czech Heritage Preservation Society and the St. Wenceslaus Altar Rosary Society, where she baked many kolaches and helped make oodles of noodles. She loved gardening, and had a passion for the outdoors, where she gardened and decorated their whole farm with beautiful flowers. She could grow the most beautiful vegetables, which she sold at the local farmers market for many years. Her grandsons joined in the business for a couple years, learning valuable lessons from her entrepreneurship.

She loved crafting and would attend every local craft show selling her beautiful crafts and her fresh baked kolaches.

Agnes was an avid fan of her grandsons, attending all their activities.

Her Czech Heritage was very important to her as she could speak and write the Czech language fluently. She was very active in preserving Czech Days by working for every organization and baking many kolaches including up to 200 dozen some years. She also visited relatives in Czechoslovakia three different times and loved researching her Czech roots. Agnes had a sense of humor that warmed your heart and will be dearly missed.

Agnes is survived by her husband of 59 years, Kenneth; son, Mark (Renee) Hejna, Tabor, S.D.; daughter, Mary Jane (Danny) Schaefer, Fordyce; four grandsons, Jeremy and Jordan Hejna, Tabor, S.D.; and Matthew and Mason Schaefer, Fordyce; one brother, George (Connie) Adam, Yankton, S.D.; three sisters, Ann (Darrell) Beran, Tabor, S.D., and Martha (Steve) Nordby, Coleridge, and Mary (Ken) Thoene, Fordyce; two brothers-in-law, Larry Hejna, Las Vegas, Nev., and Robert (Kathy) Hejna, Tabor, S.D.; two sisters-in-law, Betty Slama, Tabor, S.D., and Marilyn Hejna, Yankton, S.D.; and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

Agnes was preceded in death by her parents, Henry and Vincie Adam; father and mother-in-law, Emil and Helen Hejna; five brothers-in-law, Laddie Slama, Emil, Steven, Lloyd and Clarence Hejna; two sisters-in-law, Lila Hejna and Donna Hejna; and one nephew, Dustin Thoene.