Mary Lesikar Raska passed away peacefully on Saturday September 21, 2024 surrounded by her family. She was born October 2,1933 to the late George and Agnes Matejicek Lesikar in Victoria, Texas. She was married to her only love Herman J. Raska for 56 years.
She was a member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Czech Heritage Society, an active member of Hermann Sons Lodge and DaCosta Fire Department. She was well known for 73 years for her quilting skills, canning and baking. She loved to dance, travel, gardening and Willie Nelson.
She is preceded in death by her husband, Herman J. Raska, parents George and Agnes Lesikar, brothers Johnny, James and Victor Lesikar and sister Dorothy Rokyta.
She is survived by her three children Doris Mayfield, Dennis (Luci) Raska and Dwaine Raska; her sister Victoria (Edwin) Hajek, Bessie (David) Depine, Lillie Smolik, Dolores (Wade) Holt, Martha Branecky and Joyce Lemke; brother Robert (Dicki) Lesikar; sister-in-law Joyce A. Leskar; three grandchildren Brian (Christy) Tolle, Kevin Tolle and Natalie (Randy) Mayfield; two great grandchildren Kaleb Mayfield and Kalynn Mayfield; seven step-grandchildren Cameron, Cayori and Caden Williams, Garrison and Addison Phillips and 28 nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Thursday, September 26, 2024 from 4-6 pm at Rosewood Funeral Chapel. The funeral service is scheduled for 10 am Friday at Rosewood with Deacon Richard Evans officiating. Interment will follow in Memory Gardens Cemetery.
Pallbearers are Brian Tolle, Kevin Tolle, Mark Leita, Darrell Depine, Darrell Raska and Charlie Johnson. Honorary pallbearer will be Randall Depine.
Memorials may be made to Hospice of South Texas, 605 E. Locust, Victoria, TX 77901.
To share a fond memory of words of comfort visit www.rosewoodfuneralchapel.com.
EULOGY BY: Dwaine Raska
How does one begin to describe the joy and laughter someone has brought into your life. Someone who mended your pain when you were hurting, gave you advice when you were unsure, and always loved you no matter how trying the times got between you. That someone who saved your life before you were even born by staying in bed during her pregnancy with you, who devoted her life to making sure you had what you needed to be safe and healthy, but more importantly….Happy! You might call someone like that a Saint, or even an Angel. But us kids…. we simply called her “Mom”.
Some of my fondest memories of Mom were when I was probably 5 or 6 years old. Our house was small back then so she would always iron the clothes at the foot of our bed. I’d wake up to the radio playing Dolly Parton, George Jones, Willie Nelson, Hank Williams Sr and of course, Tammy Wynette’s “Stand By Your Man”. A song I still love to this day.
Another memory is the day Dennis left for his first day of school. I cried because now I was the only one left at home while he and Doris were in school. Kinda funny actually, I don’t particularly recall liking my Brother that much way back when. Well anyway, Mom sat down with me on the bed with a coloring book trying to get me to stop crying. To this day I still remember the tenderness in her voice as she held my hand moving the crayon. That was Mom!
As you all know I’m sure, Mom devoted her life to two things…her family and her quilting. I guess it was about 70 years she spent quilting, crocheting, embroidering, …..you name it….she did it. When Dad, Mom and I drove to Alaska after Dad retired she made it ONE WHOLE WEEK until she made Dad stop in Toke, Alaska to buy knitting supplies. She said “I’ve seen enough mountains and snow, y’all can keep driving but I’m going to crochet!”
As she got up in age she was always saying how her back hurt from dragging those cotton sacks in the field when she was young. I’d ask her “Uh…Mom….could it be because you’ve been leaning over a quilting frame for 50 years?” Of course her reply was “No! That ain’t it!” Mmmmmmm? All a person had to do was “Oooooo” and “Awwww” over her beautiful handy work and she could be talked into making something for you, just like the quilt hanging here that she made for me. As I understand it, she got her friend Diane interested in quilting and she in turn got Mom interested in sports. If there was a Spurs, Astros or Cowboys game on….she was watching it. Don’t know which one got the other addicted to FOX News though….Diane? Are you here???
Everyone knew Mom as the sweet little old lady that she truly was, but let me tell you….even if she never used the “F” word, she could sometimes curse like a sailor, mostly when her team was loosing or if Joe Biden’s face popped up on the screen. Mom also loved to travel. She didn’t much enjoy the driving part but if it meant she could find more refrigerator magnets or another souvenir plate from a state she hadn’t been to….she was ready to go
Mom could be pretty resourceful too. When I was about 9, Dad told her he couldn’t build her a new house until he found enough dirt to build up the foundation to prevent the creek water from getting inside. Well….one day the county was cleaning ditches near the house and (you guessed it) she told those guys to dump it ALL in our back yard. By the time Dad got home I think there were 16 dump truck loads of dirt behind the house. Dad didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at what he saw. Mom? Well she looked like the Cat that swallowed the Canary. I think it was a month before she stopped giggling.
Mom could really make us laugh sometimes too. When I was about 10 she caught the toast on fire in the oven broiler; later, it was listening to her and all the neighbor ladies chatting away at one of her many Tupperware parties….mostly trying to figure out why their Husbands would always leave the toilet seat up….important stuff like that. And, only a few years ago when she mistakenly thought she was grabbing Guacamole dip at China B….. which turned out to be Wasabi Sauce. I wasn’t there but Doris said “You should have seen the look on Momma’s face!”. If ONLY I could have been there!
Well Mom, I guess I’ve tattled on you enough and I hope you can forgive me. These past few years were so tough on us all, and no one knows that better than You, Me and Doris. But, I will forever remember the love and laughter we shared having you with us at home until the day you were called away. I am forever blessed to have been there with you, to say “Goodbye” and to hold your hand as you took your last breath. I only wish I could have seen that smile of your’s when Daddy and all your loved ones were there to embrace you and tell you… “Your home now…your home!”
