Alma Leona Smahel Jansa, 94, of Cedar Rapids, a resident of Silver Pines Assisted Living and Retirement Community, died on Tuesday, May 16, 2006, at Silver Pines after a brief illness.  Alma will be cremated and the memorial service will be held at Brosh Chapel in Cedar Rapids, with Pastor Christine Wagner-Hecht presiding, with the family visitation and celebration of life at a future date.  Private family inurnment will be at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery.

Survivors include a son, Loren and wife Cathy of Cedar Rapids, a daughter Sheri (Donald) Koss of North Liberty; six grandchildren Mark Jansa of Wayzata, MN, Andrea (Jason) McVay of Mount Vernon, Christina Jansa of New Haven, Connecticut and Minneapolis, MN, Karen (Erik) Taber of North Liberty, Dick (Angie) Jansa of Ely, and Deb (Jeff) Schmidt of Solon; eleven great-grandchildren Erik and Kol Jansa, Sage and Finley McVay, Erin and Rachel Taber, Matthew, Robbie, and Katie Jansa, and Michael and Christopher Schmidt; nieces Elaine (Howard) Novotny of Fairfax, and Janice (Neal) Lentz of Spencer, and nephew Larry Marak of Cedar Rapids.

Alma was preceded in death by her husband, Ernest "Bud" Jansa, a son, Ernie, her parents, Edward and Libbie Volesky Smahel, a brother Edwin Smahel, and a sister Irene Marak.

Alma was born September 14, 1911, at her farm home in northern Johnson County to Edward and Libbie Smahel.  She was a proud graduate of Shueyville High School.  Alma and Bud were married October 18, 1933, in Waterloo, Iowa, and lived a rural life in southern Linn County, moving to and living in the Western area until they retired to SW Cedar Rapids.  She worked on the small farm and lived a busy life of a full-time mother and caretaker of the farmstead.

Alma was a member of the Rebekah Lodge of Ely for many years.  She had many interests that included loving and raising three children, a love of wild life, planting and caring for a garden, raising small animals, and carrying out a busy, but meaningful life.  She loved domestic tasks, having a clean and organized house, enjoyed word puzzles and scrabble, light reading, and making picture scrapbooks for grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  She loved and delighted in having them visit and in hearing from them about all that they did.  Alma was sincere and made lasting and caring relationships with people in her life.  She was deeply loved by her family, friends, and neighbors and will be greatly missed.

Alma was a lifelong fan of the Lawrence Welk Show and knew intimately the lives of the entire entertainment family.  She had a deep appreciation of music and listened to Czech and easy listening music on KMRY Radio Station for many years.  Alma loved her Czech Heritage and identified with the Czech Community.

The family acknowledges and gives a special thank you for the care from Dr. Tim Sagers, the responsive and dedicated staff and administration of Silver Pines, and Hospice of Mercy.

Memorials may be directed to the donor's choice or to the American Cancer Society, Hospice of Mercy, or The Czech Plus Polka Band.