Bessie Marie Dugena,
formerly of Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Chicago, Illinois.
Friends and family are welcome to join in a Celebration of Life
Saturday March 1st, 2014 from Noon – 4pm at Papich-Kuba Funeral Home East, 1228 2nd Street S.E., Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401.

It's no surprise that Bessie left this earth exactly as she wanted; peacefully, in her sleep, on Friday January 17th, 2014 in the home she shared with her first grandchild, Lisa, in Mt. Pleasant, Iowa.

Bessie was born with a fierce and independent spirit. Determined to grow up fast, she found herself a single mom in Chicago at the age of 17. She worked hard, took classes and ended up working most of her adult life for Harris Bank and Trust. Three marriages and 5 children later, she was a "self-made, independent woman", buying and selling real estate decades before it was popular. She retired in Cedar Rapids where she bought and ran Bozenka's T-Shirts and Gifts in Czech Village and cared for her parents until their passing.

She was well-known in the community for her generous and loving spirit; always willing to help when needed. She was a member of the Czech Heritage Foundation, the Federation of Czech Groups, a life-long member of Lodge Karel IV 13 WFLA, serving many years as treasurer. She was a board member of both the Czech National Cemetery and Oak Hill Cemetery for which she and her long-time friend, Emma Davidson, spent many weeks, days, and hours, lovingly hand-decorating wreaths to adorn gravesites for major holidays.

Above all, she honored her position as a teacher at the Cedar Rapids Czech School for Children. She spent many hours researching and creating new lesson plans and activities for her favorite five weeks in the summer! Even after the floods of 2008 stole all she had worked to achieve in life; being homeless, she still insisted on teaching her 24th year. Every student was a "little angel" in her eyes. She motivated students to learn Czech, even if they weren't Czech!

She lived most of her life in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and Chicago, Illinois and enjoyed worldwide travel. She visited many states, and even took her parents to Hawaii as an anniversary gift. She traveled to the Bahamas and Puerto Rico with her daughter Marianne, and went to Europe many times with a variety of friends and family, always including a visit to her family in the Czech Republic.

Waiting to dance with her on the other side were her parents, Fred and Bessie (Kratochvil) Anthony, her brother, Fred A. Anthony, an infant sister, Anna, her grandson Matthew Ronquillo, and her last life-partner of 30 years, Lumir Herman.

Bessie is survived by her five children; Betty Anne Fellows (Iowa), JoAnne Isoldi-Rodriguez (California), Marianne Ronquillo (Illinois), Thomas Ronquillo (Michigan), and Fred Dugena (Illinois) as well as her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Each has inherited her independent spirit and strength.

Instead of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Cedar Rapids Czech School. Checks can be sent to: Czech School, c/o Bernard Drahozal, 1419 Hamilton St. S.W., Cedar Rapids, IA 52404.