Grandma Vrana

Pat got out a Vrana Cousins Newsletter this morning. I included my Blog site address for anyone who may be interested. To be sure there would be something they could all relate to, I'm adding this information I wrote on our Grandmother some years ago.
Antonia Milacek (September 28, 1870-June 2, 1960)

Grandma was born at Damirov (Caslav), Bohemia, in Czechoslovakia and came to America at the age of 3 with her parents, John (Jan) and Antonia (Fannie) (Prasil) Milacek. They settled on a farm in Saunders County, Nebraska near the village of Weston. After having a younger sister Mary, her mother died. John, her father sent back to the Czech Republic for a second wife (Maria Houfek) who came to America with her daughter Anna. John and Maria were married soon after her arrival and eventually had five more children, 2 boys and 3 girls. John died in 1909. Maria lived to be 91 years of age and I remember her as a very pleasant, little white haired lady.

At the age of 18, Grandma married Joseph J. Vrana and they lived on a farm near Linwood, NE. John, the eldest son was born in 1891, my dad, Anton in 1896, Rose in 1898, Emma in 1900, Anna in 1902. After moving to the Seward County farm in 1903, Joe was born in 1906 and Tillie in 1910. In addition there were other children who died at birth or as infants.

While my early memories of Grandma date back to a similar time that I’ve written about Grandpa, she was in many respects, a mirror image of him. She was a strong, large boned, rugged woman with an “outgoing” personality and a heart of gold. I believe everyone who lived in the village of Bee during the 1930’s, 40’s & 50’s knew Grandma Vrana. In fact, she had probably done something for many of them. It was easier for her to communicate in her native Czech language but had no problem making herself understood in “broken” English. She lived a full life without ever learning to sign her name or be able to read.

I have heard stories of Grandma not only shocking grain but also helping pitch bundles onto a hayrack at thrashing time. And, have distinct memories of her working in her garden and with her chickens, ducks and geese. She loved her flowers. Their little house in Bee had a perpetual smell of oats being cooked for the chickens. Her chickens were her friends. She raised them after being hatched under a “setting-hen” and knew them all by name. I remember on at least one occasion of her leading a cow out to the farm in exchange for one that had just come “fresh”. The cow would then be tethered along the Northwestern railroad right-of-way just across the gravel street east of their house.

Grandma’s greatest attribute, according to my memory was her concern and care for others. This was especially demonstrated by her care and love for her grandchildren. I don’t know the details of her grandmotherly care but do know several of the grandsons spent enough time with her and Grandpa that they learned to speak a lot of Czech. She had a knack of telling me and my siblings about what great things our cousins were doing. It wasn’t until we were teenagers that we learned she was “bragging” to the cousins about us. She not only told us about our cousins but also some of the things the Bila and other Bee kids were doing. Some of it was an example of what not-to-do.

The big buffet in the living room held pictures of all of the grandchildren among others. Setting nearby was the Christmas cactus that seemed to bloom perpetually. My memory is not clear on the utilities in the house but I remember helping get a radio set up in the living room for them in the mid-40’s. I believe the house consisted of the kitchen, living room and 2 bedrooms along with the “back porch”. Most of the meals were eaten in the kitchen. Roast duck, dumplings and sauerkraut were always special.

Grandma did some sewing. Probably making most of her own clothing. Her favorite was making aprons for all the granddaughters and probably other little girls in Bee. I believe she also made comforters and possibly little quilts. Though a black dog is shown on this picture with her, it seems her favorite was a little Dachshund.

Grandma weathered the loss of several babies and infants in her early life but also of Emma on March 23, 1931, Rose on September 5, 1948, Grandpa (Joseph J.) on February 7, 1950 & Tillie on November 20, 1959 in addition to several grandchildren. I remember of Aunt Anna commenting that she would tell Grandma of Aunt Rose’s death in Czech because the words wouldn’t be as harsh as in English. Emma’s death was the result of falling out of a unlatched hay mow door during a barn dance. Reflecting on her life, I marvel at her ability to “carry-on” and to make the best of what life provided. I have no idea of whether or not Grandpa would have consoled her from his biblical studies during her times of grief. She lived a subservient life in a male dominated society and yet, she was the one that “held everything together”. I don’t ever remember hearing her complain and believe she took great pleasure in the simple things of life: her family, her friends, her pets (chickens, etc) and her garden. Maybe she taught us more by example than we have ever realized.