Eileen Chihak

June 5, 1939 ~ September 12, 2023
Eileen A. Chihak 84 of Elma died September 12 at the Colonial Manor surrounded by family after an almost-year battle with Merkel cell cancer.
A Memorial Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, September 15, 2023, at Our Lady of Lourdes in Lourdes with Rev. Jerry Kopacek celebrating the Mass. Interment will be at Our Lady of Lourdes Cemetery at a later date.
Friends may greet the family from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m. prior to the Mass at the church on Friday.
Eileen A. Klimesh was born June 5, 1939, on the family farm near Protivin. She was the eldest daughter of Edward and Evelyn (Loesch) Klimesh. Eileen received her formal education through high school at Rudophium in Protivin graduating with the class of 1957. After graduation, she furthered her education at Viterbo in LaCrosse and Upper Iowa in Fayette taking classes toward elementary education. On May 9, 1959, she was united in marriage to Robert Chihak at Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Protivin. To this union four children were born, Marianne, Patricia, Donald, and Tony.
Eileen worked a short time at Sara Lee in New Hampton before working in Fredericksburg at the creamery known as Meinerz, then Beatrice, and finally Conagra. She worked there a total of 28 years retiring when Conagra closed in 2003. Robert and Eileen raised their family and farmed west of Lourdes.
In the years before going to work in town, Eileen loved to garden, bake, and sew making many outfits and dresses made with lots of love. She enjoyed going to see the Texas Tenors and listening to Molly B with her favorite song being “You Are My Sunshine”. She was a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Church serving on the altar and rosary society and was a religious education teacher in years past.
Eileen is survived by her children, Marianne (Steve) Kurash of New Hampton, Patty (Brian) Schrage of Cresco, Don of Elma and Tony (Lisa) of Lemars; her beloved grandchildren Amber (Steven) Kurash, Ryan Kurash, Austin (Brittany) Schrage, Morgan Schrage, Emily Chihak and Alex Chihak; two great-grandchildren Laken and River Kurash; two sisters Ellen Martell of LaCrosse Wis and Edna Klimesh of Spillville, one brother Edmund Klimesh of Protivin and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Edward and Evelyn Klimesh, her husband Robert in 2015, brother and sister-in-laws Paul and Shirley Chihak, Joe and Marlene Chihak, Ray and Mary Valvoda as well as brother-in-law Paul Martell.
So sorry to hear this, prayers for the family
My deepest sympathy to Eileen’s family. Thoughts, prayers, and hugs.
Sorry for you and your family’s loss.
So very sorry to hear this. Sending prayers for the family!!
Sorry for your loss
May she Rest in Peace! You all have my sympathy.
I am so sorry. What a wonderful lady.
So sorry for your loss. Prayers for the family
So sorry for your loss.
So sorry for your loss
My sympathy and prayers to her entire family.
Sorry for you loss Marianne and Don. We will keep you guys in our thoughts!
Am so sorry for your loss..
Thinking of you Marianne and your family🥲🥲
So very sorry for your loss prayers to the family
So sorry for your loss Marianne and Don. Thinking of you all.
My sympathy and prayers to her entire family.
So sorry for your loss
So sorry for your loss sending prayers 🙏
So sorry for your loss! The family is in our thoughts and prayers🙏❤️
I am so sorry Kurash family! Hugs and prayers! We all loved her!!
Deepest sympathies to the Chihak family😔
So very sorry for your loss
Sorry for your loss. Deepest sympathies. Thoughts and prayers.
We extend our sincerest sympathy to all of Eileen’s family. She was a very caring individual and will be missed by many. Rest in peace Eileen.
Jack and Dianne
Sympathy and prayers to the family.
Sorry for your loss !!!!
Austin, Brittany and the whole family you have our deepest sympathy.
So sorry for your loss, prayers to her family.
Please accept our sympathy. I worked with her years ago and have fond memories
Deepest condolences.❤️
So very sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers to the family.
So sorry for your loss. Hugs and prayers to the whole family
Sorry for your loss
Prayers for all of you.
Sending prayers for the family 🙏
So very sorry sympathy to the family
Sympathy and prayers for all the family
So very sorry to hear this. Sending prayers for the entire family!!
Sending prayers to all. Aunt Eileen will be missed!
Thoughts and prayers to the family
My deepest sympathy to Eileen’s family. Hugs Marianne. ❤️
My deepest sympathy Marianne and family!!!🙏🙏🙏
Sympathy to the family
Sympathy to all the family. Hugs.
Sympathies to the family.
Deepest sympathy Marianne to you and your family
Sympathy to each of you for your loss of Eileen. I think of her often with good memories.
So sorry for your loss ! You are in our thoughts & prayers ! 🙏
Our sincere sympathies with thoughts and prayers.
So very sorry for your loss Marianne!
My condolences to to Eileen’s family. I loved working with her at Beatrice, such a nice lady.
So sorry for your loss. Sending prayers and hugs. ❤️
So sorry for your loss Marianne and family!!
Sending prayers for all the family🙏🙏❤️
You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers!
Sympathy to the family.
Sympathy Marianne and family
So sorry for your loss Marianne and family. She will be missed ❤️
Sympathy to the families!
Sorry for your loss 🙏
So sorry for your loss.
So sorry to hear of Aunt Eileen’s passing. Thoughts and prayers go out to all the kids and their families. She’ll be missed by so many friends and family 🙏🙏
Sincere sympathy, Marianne and family
Sorry for your loss.
Sympathy and prayers for the family. Sorry to hear!
Sympathy to the family and friends
Sympathy and Prayers to
the Family!!
So sorry to hear this.
Sympathies to the family
Deepest sympathy to Eileen’s family.
Prayers to the family sending hugs to all.
So sorry to the Chihak families! She always took time to have a conversation whenever our paths crossed! She will be missed!
Sorry for your loss!! 🙏
Thinking of the Chihak family during this difficult time!
Our sympathy
sorry for the family’s loss
Our deepest sympathy to the family
So sorry for your loss
Condolences to the family!
I’m so sad to hear this:( Thoughts and prayers to you Judy Chihak Ungs
🙏🙏🙏💐💐💐Prayers and hugs to you and your family.💕
My condolences sorry for your loss
So sorry for your loss prayers for you and your family!
So sorry for your loss 🙏🏻
Our deep sympathy to Judy & all the family.
My deepest sympathy to the Chihak family.
So sorry for your loss. Thoughts and prayers to the family.
Sending my sympathy
So sorry for your loss prayers and hugs for the family
Our sympathy
Our deepest sympathy to the families 🙏 Prayers
So sorry for your loss, Marianne and families
I remember working with her! My condolences to her family
Sorry for your loss
Prayers and sympathy to the family.
Our deepest sympathy. Eileen was always so friendly whenever we saw each other.
My sympathy for all of Eileen’s family. I worked with her for 27 years with fond memories. Rest in peace 🙏 I
Deepest sympathy to Eileen’s family
So sorry for your loss. Your mother was very special to me along with your dad. They always treated me special.I’m sorry I will miss her service as I will be out of town.You will be in my prayers.
Sorry for your loss Marianne!
Our deepest sympathy to Eileen’s family.
So sorry Marianne and family for the loss of your Mother. May the memories help you through the difficult days.
Sorry to hear this sad news. I knew your mother Marianne threw Powell’s we h ad some good visit . You have my sympathy and sending prayers to all of Eileen family.
Sympathy to the family.
So sorry for your loss!🙏
Our Deepest Sympathy. Our thoughts and prayers for the family.🙏
Our Deepest Sympathy to Eileen’s family
🙏🙏
Thoughts and prayers to her family 🙏🙏
Our sympathy and prayers to the family 🙏🏻
Sorry for your families loss 🙏🏼
Sorry for your loss. Mothers are very special!
Sympathy to the family
Sorry to hear of her passing, loved our chats years ago into Kwik Star.
So sorry for you loss
I’m so sorry for the loss of your mom! Prayers for you and your family!!!
Our sympathy to Marianne and all of Eileen’s family. She was such a friendly person. So sorry for your loss.
Sending condolences.
Thoughts and prayers to the family.🙏🙏🙏🙏
Deepest sympathy!!
Sorry for your loss
Sorry for ur loss Don
My thoughts and prayers to the family. R.I. P. Eileen
Our thoughts and prayers to Eileen’s Family. Our family moved to Protivin in 1955 lived across the road from the Klimesh’s, got to know Eileen and her family. Over the years when we would see Eileen, always would have a good visit.
So sorry for your loss