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Monday, June 8, 2020
those dates. We have celebrated many marriages, births, graduations, and yes, lives of those family members who have gone before us. Many who submitted articles for the previous histories are the family genealogist and, through research, new ancestors have been discovered. Possibly a trip, or several trips, to the Czech Republic have been made and new photos have been gained of not only ancestors or newly found relatives but ancestral homes as well. Perhaps you do not have an article in a previously published volume. Now is the perfect time for you to write and share your family history and cherished family memories. A number of times we hear, “I would love to write my family history so it would be documented and not be lost. My kids are not interested now, but one day they will be. My problem is, it is too expensive.” If anything above fits your profile, Texas Czech Genealogical Society (TCGS) would like for you to seriously consider writing and submitting your story, or stories, along with photos to be part of this project. You do not have to be a member of TCGS in order to participate; however, we would gladly welcome you. Submission Guidelines for TCGS Czech Family Histories, Volume V are: 1. You may submit as many articles as you wish. Each can be of any length, but each submission must be submitted separately on a CD, DVD, or flash drive, and must be accompanied by a printed copy of the article. Submissions can also be sent via email. If you do not have access to a computer, a typewritten hard copy will be accepted. We are sorry, but we cannot accept handwritten articles. 2. Articles should be typed using number 12 Times New Roman font and be single spaced with double spacing between paragraphs. Margins should be set at one inch. 3. If at all possible, only black and white photos should be submitted as the book will not be published with color photos. If color photos are submitted, they will be published in black and white. Photos should be of good quality. Copies of quality photos can be made at Walmart, Walgreens, or CVS for your convenience at a very low cost.
VĚSTNÍK 4. Please do not send original photos as they cannot be returned. 5. Please be sure to write the names of all persons on the back of the photos as they are viewed from the front, along with your name, address, and phone number, in the event we need to contact you. 6. It is best not to submit an article laid out in a particular manner as this, as a rule, does not comply with the book layout. Please do not embed photos in the article. 7. Because of the number of printers involved, some do not recognize the Czech diacritical markings and will change the letters, resulting in possible incorrect spellings, especially with names. Having said this, please do not use the Czech diacritical markings. 8. Genealogical outlines and charts should not be submitted, as due to spacing, they cannot be reproduced. If this type of information is to be submitted, submitter will need to place the information in paragraph form prior to submitting. 9. The Texas Czech Genealogical Society reserves the right to make minor corrections only, i.e., grammatical or sentence structure. TCGS will not write articles. If the book committee has any questions regarding the content, contact will be made with the article author. 10. All articles are expected to be in good taste. Articles must be received via email or postmarked on or before January 23, 2021. Articles are now being accepted and should be mailed to Charlene Hurta, 1231 CR 201A, Angleton, Texas 77515 or emailed to cmhurta@earthlink.net. For more information, call 979-8490348. —SPJST—
In Loving Memory of Effie Rosene
Ceremony of a release of a balloon By Bill Rosene SPJST Lodge 232, Houston Midtown This past Mother’s Day was one year since I lost the love of my life - Effie Sojak Rosene. We were together for 60 years before she left us as the result of a stroke that she suffered four years prior. Effie was the dominant source of the Czech Center Museum of Houston, which together as founders, we started in 1995. And, by source, I mean she was the reason we were successful in contacting and working with individuals of Czech background there and here in Houston. Effie and I both had retired from active employment - she with the Memorial system as assistant head of Memorial Northwest Hospital and I with the City of Houston. Prior to that, we found a little village about 40 miles north of Vienna, Austria. We loved it so much that Effie learned a great deal of the Czech language working with contractors, lawyers, Czech government officials, and architects as we built a small home on top of two wine cellars in the Village of Hlohovec. Learning the knowledge of Czech language helped her to deal with those who also would love to see an organization to promote that culture in the United States and specifically in Houston. Long range, we knew we had to have our own facility in Houston. While exercising in Northwest Mall of Houston, we noticed an empty store space and thought it would be a great location to open a gift shop with an office in the back to promote the proposed organization and to raise funds to erect a building for our purpose in Houston. After nine years, working six days a
week, and with the assistance of o u r board of directors, which was founded with other volunteers, Effie mainly had raised enough funds to build a three-and-one-half story building on San Jacinto Street, which is in bound to downtown Houston - with developing and completion of the first two floors. Effie never stopped working to locate other Czechs to find the funds to finish out the rest of the building. We started by having an annual fundraising gala party in several of the hotels in Houston. These were helpful, but the final funding was made in a surprise announcement by one of our members at the podium at a gala, who pledged sufficient funds to finish out the building. Fully funded by 2004, we opened with all floors finished and ready to do the business of introducing the Czech language and those of Czech descent to parties and events of Czech nature to the people of Houston. As I said, this was all accomplished by Effie working six days a week, 10 months a year in Houston, and some in Hlohovec at our monthly residence there. In 2014, Effie was working as usual after we had just returned from the Czech Republic. She suffered a stroke and was not in position to continue the daily work at the Center. She continued helping with advice as best she could give. It was heartbreaking to see and witness this vital person who had given so much, but now could not join in the business of working as she did prior to the four years she was made inactive by the stroke. After giving and working for 19 active years and four inactive years to the Czech Center, Effie finally succumbed on Sunday, May 12, 2019 - Mother’s Day. Her family was devastated, especially me, who had lost her company, companionship, and comradeship after all those years. I was not looking forward to the oneyear anniversary of her death on Mother’s Day this year. Now in an assistant living facility at Village of Meyerland, as the year’s anniversary was coming up, I was approached to release a balloon as part of a ceremony to mark
