Vera Kafka

ENOSBURG FALLS, VT / STOW, MA - Vera Kafka, age 86, widow of the Rev. Hvezdon Kafka, died peacefully on Sunday evening, February 28, 2010 at Our Lady of the Meadows in Richford.

She was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia on November 28, 1923 the daughter of the late Bohuslav & Marta (Sykorova) Martinec.

Vera lived through the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia and was reared to take over the family business. She instead followed her heart and love, leaving her homeland to emigrate to the U.S.A. with her husband in 1945. Vera & Hvezdon embodied the American Dream, coming to this country with just their suitcases, with hard work and a frugal lifestyle they were able to put their sons through college. She worked for many years as the manager of the school lunch program for the Town of Stow (MA), and previously was the manager for a womens clothing store, ran the ladies section in a department store, and way back was the nanny to the family of Dr. Edward Teller (father of the A-bomb). She deftly managed the responsibilities of being a mother, a ministers wife, and a wage earner. She was an active member of the First Parish Church of Stow & Acton.

She retired in 1986 at the age of 65, and enjoyed winters in Florida and traveling the world. She also learned to play golf and enjoyed playing bridge, knitting, sewing and needlepoint. Vera did not like to dwell on the negative side of life, preferring to focus on helping people get along and be happy.

She is survived by her sons, Jason Kafka and his wife Barbara of Parkman, ME, and Thomas Kafka of Enosburg Falls; also 3 grandchildren, Emma Kafka of Brooklyn, NY, Alexander K. Landauer and Orion L. Kafka of Enosburg Falls.

Funeral arrangements are incomplete and will be announced at a later date.

For those who wish, contributions in Veras memory may be made to the First Parish Church of Stow & Acton, C/O Religious Education, 353 Great Road, Stow, MA 01775.