Genevieve Straka

Genevieve (Gen) Virginia Straka, 90, passed away on August 11 following complications from surgery. Gen was born in Burwell, Nebraska on August 28, 1923. She always had a love for the Sandhill area of Nebraska and loved to hear the Sandhill cranes on their migration path. After graduating from Burwell High School, Gen moved to Washington, D.C. as a secretary with the U.S. Government Signal Corps at the Pentagon during WWII from 1941 to 1944. After returning to Omaha, Nebraska in 1944 she started her own steno business. While in Omaha she met and married Dean Straka on August 24, 1946. They moved to Los Angeles where Dean pursued his art career and Gen was a legal secretary in Beverly Hills. Following their short stay in L.A., they moved to Evansville, Indiana where they raised their two sons, Dave and Daniel. Gen always had a love for rockhunting and was a member of the Evansville Lapidary Society since 1966, and an instructor for 15 years. She cut and polished gem stones and did silversmithing for 50 years. She was a member of Morningside Presbyterian Church, in Newburgh, Indiana. Due to poor health, Dean and Gen moved to Casper, Wyoming in 2006 where he preceded her in death in 2008. Survivors include sons David Straka (Christine Borries) and Daniel Straka (Colleen); two sisters, Bonita Lambert and Shirley Sandfort; three brothers: Lonnie Johnson, Randy Johnson and Don Johnson; five grandchildren: Christopher, Andrachelle, Bartholomew, Bryce, Matthew Straka and her great granddaughter Liberty Grace Burris. Memorial contributions may be made to The Nature Conservancy or The Humane Society of the U.S. From David and Daniel: 17 days prior to her 91st Birthday, we lost our Mom. She was a Mother for 60 and 58 years respectively, one of the sweetest people in the world and will be forever in our memories. A family service will be held for Gen with interment at Fort McPherson National Cemetery in Maxwell, Nebraska next to her husband Dean.