Lawrence “Larry” James Vrbka

Visitation: Friday, December 9, 2022, 5:00 P.M. to 7:00 P.M., Rosary to begin at 7:00 P.M., Holy Rosary Church, 24116 Marian Avenue, Glenwood, Iowa.

Mass of Christian Burial, Saturday, December 10, 2022, 10:30 A.M., Holy Rosary Church, 24116 Marian Avenue, Glenwood, Iowa.

Lawrence James Vrbka was born on Nov. 9, 1931 to Rose (Samek) and Vaclav Vrbka in Brainard, Nebraska. He was the 1st of 5 children.  He graduated in 1949 from Brainard High School, after graduation he worked at several jobs and later he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in 1952.  He was stationed at Lackland Air Force base near San Antonio, Texas. He later was assigned over-seas where he served in England, Greenland and Thailand.  He retired after serving 20 years of duty at Peterson Field, Colorado Springs, Colorado in 1972.

While serving in England, he met his wife Sheila (Fell) and was married in Luton, England on Dec. 31, 1955. After returning to the United States in 1957, his son Paul and later his daughter Catherine were born. They lived in Pierce, Nebraska before moving to Glenwood, Iowa. His son Paul is married to Peg (King) living in York Nebraska. and his daughter Catherine is married to David Webster, living in Glenwood, Iowa. Catherine and David were blessed with a daughter, Chelsea in December of 1995. In 2002 God Blessed David & Cathy with Abby Brown as a blessed part our family. His wife Sheila later died after a long battle with cancer in 2009.  His Granddaughter Chelsea, married William Schutzman on October of 2016, and now they have 4 children, Eleanor, Alfred, Harvey and Emilia (and another baby girl due in May).

He was interested in all kinds of sports, especially golf, bowling and most of all dancing. During that time he had Macular Degeneration, but he continued to play golf even though he could not see the ball.  He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and the American Legion.  He loved to talk in Czech to his family relatives especially those in the Czech Republic, where he visited twice.

After retiring from the Air Force, he worked for Hinky Dinky, and later on for Pic and Save as manager of the meat department. He retired in May1996.

In 2012, He met his second wife MaryAnn Adams and they were later married on July 27, 2013 at the Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Glenwood, Iowa and with that marriage came 4 step-children, 14 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren.  They both volunteered at Methodist Jennie Edmondson Hospital working in the gift shop and also as a host family at Holy Rosary Catholic Church and spent a lot of time at the Bloom Senior Center.

He was preceded in death by his mother, father, his wife Shelia, sister Marquita, and later brothers Virgil and Jim. He is survived by his wife, MaryAnn and his children, grandchild, great-grandchildren, step-children, step-grand-children, step-great grandchildren, his and is sister, Geraldine Kovar living in David City, Nebraska. and other relatives and countless beloved friends.

Interment: Glenwood Cemetery, Glenwood, Iowa at a later date.

Memorial donations may be directed to the Bloom Senior Center or Holy Rosary Church.