Francis Levendofsky

VISITATION:  9:00am to 5:00pm Friday, July 5, 2013 at the Funeral Home

ROSARY/VIGIL:  7:00pm Friday, July 5, 2013 at St. Edwards Catholic Church

FUNERAL MASS:  10:00am Saturday, July 6, 2013

St. Edwards Catholic Church

Belleville, Kansas

BURIAL:  St. Josaphat's Cemetery, rural Belleville

MEMORIALS:  The Francis Levendofsky Memorial

Francis Joseph Levendofsky, son of Frank J. and Ellen C. (Hurley) Levendofsky, was born June 21, 1925 at his parents farm northwest of Belleville, Kansas. He was second oldest of seven children. He passed from this life Saturday, June 29, 2013 at the Salina Regional Health Center, Salina, Kansas. He was 88 years and 8 days of age. Francis attended 1 ^st thru 8 ^th grade at Freedom and Beauchamp rural schools. He attended and graduated high school from Belleville High School in May of 1943. He played basketball and was in FFA. He celebrated his 70th class reunion this year. He started farming in 1943 with his dad and his brothers. Francis married Iolene M. Hickert on October 20, 1948 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, New Almelo, Kansas and lived on their farm northwest of Belleville, Kansas for 59 years. Francis and Iolene farmed together, milked dairy cows and raised their family. To this union were born fourteen children, thirty-eight grandchildren and thirty-three great-grandchildren. Francis was a lifelong farmer and dairy farmer. He was a member of St. Edward's Catholic Church, past parish council member and was a board member of St. Josaphat's Cemetery. He was the oldest member of Belleville Knights of Columbus, a past member of the Concordia Moose Lodge, served on the Victory School board until 1960 consolidation, served two terms on Farmers Co-op Elevator board, Byron, Nebraska, served on Board of Directors of Washington County Co-op Creamery, Linn, Kansas, served as a Director of Rural Water District No. 2 from 1975 to 2006 and was involved in the formation and operation of the Republic County Association for Retarded Citizens for the past 42 years as officer and Board of Director. He was proud of the fact that his eleven children and nine of his grandchildren graduated from Belleville High School. He enjoyed attending his grandchildren and great-grandchildren's sports events. He will be forever remembered by his eleven children: William (Bill) & Sharon Levendofsky, Delphos; Ronda & Jimmie C. Blecha, Munden; Rita & Terry LeDuc, Greenleaf; Mary Jo & Raymond Wurtz, Clifton; Frederick (Fred) & Connie Levendofsky, Republic; Michelle & Brent Larkins, Republic; Brenda & Lyle Ritterling, Byron, NE; Sherie & Bill Mahin, Courtland; Geri & Todd Larson, Madera, CA ; Sheila Levendofsky, Greenleaf and Carleen & Mark Nordell, Concordia. thirty-five grandchildren and thirty-three great-grandchildren, two sisters: Ellen Scofield, Belleville and Mary Michels, Clifton, two brothers: John & Fayrene Levendofsky, Hebron, NE and Paul & Harriett Levendofsky, Belleville, sister-in-law, Marilyn Levendofsky, Belleville. Sisters-in-law: Hilaria Huff, Denver, CO; Cecelia Kotschwar, McCook, NE; Wilma Farrell, Mesa, AZ; Donna Roth, Marion, IA; Marilyn & Marion Otter, New Almelo, KS; Claudine Hickert, McCook, NE; brothers-in-law: Don Hickert, Indianola and Tom Conroy, McCook, NE and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, friends and relatives. He was pre-deceased by three infant sons, Michael Timothy Levendofsky, Daniel Lee Levendofsky and Edward Girard Levendofsky, his wife, Iolene; his parents, Frank J. & Ellen C. Levendofsky, brothers: George Levendofsky & Lawrence Levendofsky & sister-in-law, Gladys Levendofsky, brother-in-laws, Elwin Scofield & Marvin Michels, grandsons, Michael Wurtz and Casey Empson, granddaughter, Annette Empson; his wife's parents, Albert & M. Amanda Hickert, brother-in-laws, Meredith (Joy) Huff, Bernard Farrell, Jim Hickert, Bob Hickert, Bill Hickert, Bud Kotschwar, Delbert Roth, sisters-in-law, Carolyn Hickert and Bertilla Conroy, nephews, Doug Otter & Tony Conroy, nieces, Paulette Levendofsky, Karen Kotschwar, Theresa Walters and Jan Levendofsky-Kasl. Funeral services will be held 10:00am Saturday, July 6, 2013 at St. Edward's Catholic Church, Belleville, Kansas with Fathers Brian Lager and David Metz officiating. Rosary/Vigil service will be 7:00pm Friday at the church. Visitation will be from 9:00am to 5:00pm at Tibbetts-Fischer Funeral Home, Belleville, Kansas. Memorials to the Francis Levendofsky Memorial.