Nina Marie Vondrak

     Nina M. Vondrak, 74 of Hinton, Iowa, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 19, 2023 surrounded by family.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday, December 22, 2023 at St. Michael Catholic Church in Sioux City, with father Peter Nguyen as Celebrant.  Burial will follow at Calvary Cemetery.  Visitation will be held Thursday, December 21^st at the church, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. with family present at 6:00 p.m. and a Vigil Service beginning at 7:00 p.m.  Online condolences may be offered at www.meyerbroschapels.com. Meyer Brothers Colonial Chapel is assisting the family with arrangements.

     Nina Marie Vondrak was born October 23, 1949 in Sioux City, to Lester and Leona Langendorfer. The family moved around throughout Nina’s childhood, spending her elementary and middle school years in Soldier, Iowa. They moved to Sioux City when Nina was in 8th grade, where she attended East Middle School and graduated from East High School in1967. Following her graduation, Nina worked at St. Luke’s Hospital as a nurse’s aide until January 1968.

     Nina married Elmer Francis Vondrak of Hinton on February 3, 1968 at Immaculate Conception Church in Sioux City. Following their union, Nina moved to Elmer’s family farm with him and her new mother-in-law and was a farmer’s wife, raising their five children. They began a family immediately, having the first 3 of her 5 children by their fourth year of marriage. While raising the older children, Nina also cared for her mother-in-law, Christine, who had suffered some health issues. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Elmer and Nina were heavily involved in Cursillo, a Christian movement. The last two of their children came along in 1982 and 1984.

     As their children grew, Nina could be found tending to her garden and helping around the farm wherever needed, especially helping with the livestock. During the summer months, she loved raising baby chicks that the family would come together to help butcher in order to stock the freezers for the winter months. She could also be found out in the bean field, walking beans with the family. In the late summer, plenty of canning went on at the farm. She loved spending time with her family, including in later years her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

     As their children grew, Elmer and Nina taught CCD classes beginning from second grade and up through high school, teaching the high school classes for a few years as their own children were in high school.

     As grain and livestock farming became more difficult in the late 80s, both Elmer and Nina began to look for work elsewhere. They bought the Coast to Coast (True Value Hardware Store) in Indian Hills in 1992, and were owners and operators of the store until 2004. They continued to work for the new owner until January 2006. Nina then went to work for Home Depot from February 2006 until February 2017. From there, she went to work for Bomgaars in the warehouse until 2019, at which time she moved to a part-time position for the Hamilton store until her recent retirement earlier this year. She loved helping out at Bomgaars, especially when the great-grandkids would come and see the new shipment of baby chicks!

     Nina loved spending time with her family and friends, and treated many people in her life as though they were her own family.

     Left to cherish her memory include her husband, Elmer Vondrak of Hinton, Iowa; son, Bill Vondrak (Mary) of Sioux City; daughter, Teresa Cuthrell (Dean) of Early, Iowa; daughter, Debbie Felix (Jerry) of Sioux City; son, Michael Vondrak of Hinton, Iowa; and daughter, Kristine Stokes (Chris) of Sioux City; grandchildren: Matt Clausen (Carrisa), Derek Vondrak, Erik Vondrak, Brittney Vondrak, Cody Loerts (Samantha), Coleton Loerts, Alex Melville, Tracie Melville, Jessica Melville (Andrew), and Zachary Stokes; three great-grandchildren: Jace Clausen, Beau Clausen, and Carli Clausen; brother, Paul Langendorfer (Vicky) of South Carolina; sister, June Small of Sioux City; brother-in-law, Jorgen Johnson of Tennessee; and many nieces and nephews.

     She was preceded in death by her parents, Lester and Leona Langendorfer; father-in-law Emil Vondrak and mother-in-law Christine Vondrak; son-in-law, David Loerts; sister, Marge Johnson; brothers-in-law, Vern Vondrak and John Small; sister-in-law, Pat Vondrak; nephew, Rick Johnson; and niece, Barb Vondrak.

                                                                                               Livestream Link: https://youtu.be/zq4y4IwH3ug