Obituary of Michael Emanuel Kubal

Michael (Mike/Mikey) Emanuel Kubal, passed away on Sunday, January 25, 2015 surrounded by family. Family visitation will begin at 5:00 PM on Tuesday, January 27th at St. Wenceslaus Church in Tabor, SD, with a Wake service following at 7:00 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial, officiated by Father Steven Jones and Msgr. Carlton Hermann will be held at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, January 28, 2015 at St. Wenceslaus Church in Tabor, SD. Burial will follow at the St. Wenceslaus Cemetery with military graveside rites by the Kortan-Hatwan American Legion Post #183, Tabor and the South Dakota Army National Guard, Sioux Falls. The Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel, Tabor is entrusted with the arrangements. Mike was born on a farm near Tabor SD on July 20, 1933 to Mathias and Pauline (Sternhagen) Kubal, and he was baptized at St. Wenceslaus Church in Tabor on August 1, 1933. In 1953, he entered the United States Armed Forces. He served his country during the Korean War as an Armored Division Specialist and was among the infantry men assigned to defend the hostile area known as the DMZ Zone. He was honorably discharged from active duty with a National Defense Service Medal in June of 1955. On June 18, 1957, he married the love of his life Gladys Walloch, at Saint John's Catholic Church in Lesterville, SD. They had four children. Judy (Pat) Carroll of Tabor, SD; Laurie (Mike) Becvar of Rapid City, SD; Nancy (Robert) Pechous of Tabor, SD; and Dan (Jodi) Kubal of Lesterville, SD. Mike's passion was his work in farming and his family and friends. He raised cattle and crops and at one time; he was endearingly known as the "Oats King" for his ability to grow an excellent crop of oats. John Deere was clearly his tractor of choice and to this day, John Deere green continues to dominate the color of equipment on the Kubal farms. Mike and Gladys operated a dairy farm for thirty years. Mike Kubal had a strong work ethic and work always came before leisure, but he did take time to have fun, and many memories were made. He enjoyed hunting and fishing. Mike and Gladys traveled with friends to Alaska twice and to other scenic areas throughout the country. Mike loved music, especially Czech music; he often played his accordion for family and friends. He loved to dance and play cards, and he enjoyed spending time with his special dog Shep. Mike will forever be remembered as a kind, caring, and generous husband, father, and friend. He was a teacher, a role model, a steward of the land, the rock of the family, a keen intellectual, a man of integrity, honesty, wit, and humor. He was a visionary, a historian, and a progressive and successful business man. Mike loved and respected the Lord, and the Lord walked with him all the days of his life. Family and friends will miss him dearly. The legacy of Michael Kubal will be carried forward, impacting the world, through the lives of his wife, children, grandchildren, and friends. He held lifetime memberships in the Yankton, SD VFW, and Tabor SD American Legion. He was an active member of St. Wenceslaus Church in Tabor, SD. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Gladys, his four children named above, and his sister Magdeline Bame of Tyndall, SD. Survivors also include thirteen grandchildren and five great grandchildren. Grandchildren: Travis Dangel, Nathan Becvar, Justin, Kyle and Jennifer Pechous, Dana, Elizabeth, Kohl, John, and Kaleb Kubal, Sara Carroll, and Sydney and Brock Goeden. Great Grandchildren: Mason Wozniak, Gracie and Georja Pechous, and Blake and Olivia Pechous. He was preceded in death by his parents Mathias and Pauline Kubal, his brother Joseph Kubal, his sister Mildred Kubal, and a daughter-in-law Rita Kubal.