Obituary of Joseph George Hejna

Joseph George Hejna, age 89, of Yankton, SD passed away early Sunday morning, July 21, 2013, at the Tyndall Good Samaritan Center, Tyndall, SD. Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:30 AM, Wednesday, July 24, 2013 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Tabor, SD with Rev. Daniel Moris and Rev. Joe Forcelle con-celebrating. Burial will be in the parish cemetery. Visitations will begin at 5:00 PM, Tuesday, July 23, 2013 at the Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel, Tabor, with a Wake service at 7:00 PM with the Yankton 4th Degree Knights of Columbus standing Honor Guard. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the memorial chapel. Joseph was born in Yankton, SD on August 17, 1923 to George and Lillian (Fuks) Hejna. Joseph's grade school years were completed at the Peterka School and graduated high school in 1944 in Lesterville, SD. He married Albina Kutilek on May 22, 1945 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Tabor, SD. To this union four children were born: Carol , Joyce, Jim, and one deceased son, Johnny. Joe farmed on the home place until age 50, when he semi-retired and moved to Yankton, SD. There, Joe hauled fuel for the Farmer Coop for thirteen years, worked at the ASCS office, and did numerous other jobs. Joe belonged to the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, and Knights of Columbus. Joe's pride and joy was his family and his many vehicles. He leaves to mourn, his wife, Albina of Tyndall, SD; daughters, Carol (Rodger) Rueb of Yankton, SD, Joyce (Duane) Sedlacek of Johnstown, NE, one son, Jim of Yankton, SD, as well as eight grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandson, and many nieces, nephews, and countless friends.