children remember picking potato bugs from what seemed like acres of potatoes before going to the annual July 4th celebration in Spillville. In the winter she crocheted and did beautiful embroidery work. Eleanor also enjoyed playing bingo and cards when company came. She lived the last 22 1/2 years with her son Cyril and his family on the farm that John and she had farmed. Eleanora died 28 May 1982 at the Decorah Hospital of old age after being hospitalized 3 weeks. John and Eleanora are buried at the St. Wenceslaus Church Cemetery in Spillville.

John Frank Neuzil married Eleanora Mary Novak April 26, 1921

John and Eleanora had 7 children and 21 grandchildren: Frank, August, Lewis, Anthony, Eleanor, Justinaand Cyril. Frank Edward (b. 21 Apr 1922) married Marlyse Jirak 28 May 1951. They have 3 children: Galen Francis, Carol Marie and Kevin Joseph Frank farmed and worked as a county road employee. August Anthony married Dorothy Ondrashek 13 Oct 1952. They have 3 children: Elain, Karen Kay and Larry. August was a county road employee. Lewis Cvril did farm work until he entered the Navy 11 Sep 1951. He was stationed on the USS Richard E. Kraus at Norfolk, VA- DD849. Lewis was separated from the navy 7 Sep 1955. On 6 Sep 1951 he married Grace Wagner. Lewis and Grace adopted 2 children: Julie Ann and Jeffrey Scott. Lewis and Grace were divorced in 1974. Lewis married Jan Comptor 8 Apr 1978. Lewis was a turbine operator in a power plant in Zion and also in Rockford, IL. He is now retired and lives in Rockford. Anthony Cyril married Victoria Lujan from Oelwein 6 Oct 1956 at St. Wenceslaus Catholic church. Anthony ‘‘Tony" worked for Quaker Oats in Cedar Rapids, IA starting in 1953. Tony has lived for many years at Midway, a suburb north of Cedar Rapids and is now retired. Tony and Vickie have 4 sons: Allen Anthony, Blair Leonard, Clint Howard and Dale Scott. Eleanor JoAnn married Melvin Jirak 26 Sep 1959. They have 2 daughters: Colleen Ann and Linda Ann. The Jiraks have lived in Spillville all their married life. JustinaVita married John Curtis Crabtree 20 Oct 1952. They make their home in Hiawatha, IA and Justina “Tina” works at Square D in Cedar Rapids. John “Curt” and Tina have 2 sons: Daryl Dalton and Gary Gregory. Cvril John married Rebecca C. Pecinvovsky 13 Oct 1959. They have 5 children: Catherine, Susan, Steven John, Lorna Ann and Craig William.

Neuzil, John Joseph and Mary (Koutek)

(Rebecca Neuzil)

John Joseph Neuzil was born at Bechyne, Kroj Tarbor (county), Bohemia (now Czech Republic) in 1855 to Jan and Katerina (Jaros) Neuzil and was 19 years old when his family came to America. He learned the mason trade in Europe and in years to come he and his sons made their own bricks and were master masons. John married Mary Koutek of St. Paul, MN and they lived there for some time. They also lived in Chicago, IL before moving to the Ft. Atkinson, IA area, Washington Twp., Section 18. In 1899 the tower was built on the Saint John Nepomucene Church in Ft. Atkinson and John was the chief stone mason. Mary was born in 1860 and died in 1916. John died 22 Mar 1938. They are both buried at St. John's Cemetery.

John J. and Mary Neuzil and children.

John and Mary were parents of 10 children, 2 dying in infancy: Charles, Wenceslaus, Mary, Joseph, Frank, Louis, Agnes and Anna. Charles (b. 23 Jan 1883) married Gertrude Rein. After Charles died Gertrude married his brother Joseph. Wenceslaus 'James” (b. 2 Nov 1884 at St. Paul) learned the mason trade from his father John. As a teenager he led the horse that pulled the rock and mortar up for the erection of the tower on St. John’s Church in Ft. Atkinson. In 1949 he was the chief stone mason for the addition of the present sacristy. James married Mary A. Wandas and they had 5 children: Charles F. (m. Helen Bakula); Mary (m. Joseph Schulte); Helen (m. Lawrence Evert Hads); Monica and Agatha, both remained single. Mary was born in 1886 and died in 1947. James died 14 Jun 1982 at age 98. Mary (b. 1886) married Julius Rausch. They lived in Ft. Atkinson where Julius had a Chevrolet car dealership and sold cars. They had