Elverna Praska

Elverna Mary Praska, age 90, of New Hampton, IA, died Sunday, March 10, 2024, at Linn Haven Rehab & Healthcare in New Hampton. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, March 16, 2023, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Lawler, with Rev. Nick Radloff celebrating the Mass. Interment will be held at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Cemetery in Lawler following the service with James Smith, Victoria Smith, Paul Smith, Diane Smith, Tom Praska, and Donna Praska serving as pallbearers. Rosary Service will be held at 8:30 a.m. prior to the visitation at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Lawler. Friends may greet the family from 9:00 - 10:15 a.m. prior to the service on Saturday, March 16, 2023, at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Catholic Church in Lawler. Hugeback-Johnson Funeral Home & Crematory in New Hampton has been entrusted with arrangements. Elverna Mary Leibold was born on March 7, 1934, on her parent’s farm on the edge of Lawler, Iowa. Elverna was the embodiment of the heartland's spirit, growing up amidst the rural charm and community values that would shape her into the extraordinary woman she became. Elverna was the cherished daughter of the late Irvin and Victoria (Kipp) Leibold. She was a proud graduate of Lawler Catholic School, where she completed her high school education in 1952. It was in her hometown of Lawler that she learned to dance with her father at the local Legion Hall, and met Gerald Praska. Their love blossomed, and they were united in marriage at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel in 1955, shortly after Gerald's return from his service in Korea. Together, Elverna and Gerald embarked on a life of partnership and dedication on their farm. Elverna's days were filled with tending to gardens, fieldwork, and caring for animals. Her adept hands were also skilled in sewing and baking, with fourteen loaves of bread and two sour cream chocolate cakes sitting on the kitchen table on Saturdays, ready for Sunday visitors. Elverna was more than just a farmer; she was the heart of her home, nurturing not only her land and animals but also every person she met with exceptional love. Elverna adored her grandchildren who called her Farmer Grandma. Gerald and Elverna took their grandchildren along on several of their many travels. Alaska, with its majestic beauty, held a special place in her heart and was her favorite destination. Elverna had an eye for beauty, which was evident in her love for bold colors and the care she took of her flowers. She was truly a salt of the earth woman, whose hands were never idle and whose heart was perpetually open. Those who knew Elverna will remember her as a woman who always saw the good in the worst situations. Elverna's legacy is one of kindness and generosity, and she was often described as loving, selfless, and handy - a woman who could fix a fence, sew her family’s clothes, care for their farm animals, and offer a comforting word, all with equal skill. Elverna's gentle departure at age 90 leaves behind a legacy of love. Her memory is a blessing. She was a woman of the earth and of the heart, and her absence will be felt deeply by all who had the privilege of knowing her. Elverna Mary Praska's memory will live on, as enduring as the Iowa orchards, gardens and fields she tended for sixty six years on the family farm. Elverna is survived by her two sons: John and Tom Praska of New Hampton; daughters: Donna Praska of Rochester, MN and Diane Smith of Clive, IA; her grandchildren: James of Cosa Mesa, CA, Victoria of Clive, IA, and Paul of Bethesda, MD; numerous nieces and nephews; her brother James of Lawler; and three sister-in-laws. She was preceded in death by her parents Irvin and Victoria (Kipp) Leibold; her husband of 65 years Gerald Praska; brother Don Leibold; four brother-in-laws; and two sister-in-laws. 641-394-4334