"CHANGING TO MEET THE CHANGING NEEDS OF FRATERNALISTS"
VESTNIK
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SPJST Herald
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Official Organ Of The Slavonic Benevolent Order Of The State Of Texas, Founded 1897 BENEVOLENCE
HUMANITY
BROTHERHOOD
Postmaster: Please Send Form 3579 to: SUPREME LODGE, SPJST, P. 0. Box 100, Temple, Texas 76503 ISSN-07458800 VOLUME 80 NUMBER 45 November 18, 1992
Society recognizes longtime members Brother Cloud and Sister Jurchak cited Stephen Ross Cloud It was in the year 1896 that William McKinley became the 25th President of the United States of America. On August 24th of that same year, in south Austin, Texas, Brother Stephen Ross Cloud was born. In those days, families were very large, and the Cloud family wasn't any different. There were 11 children in all: Tobe, Obie, Thurston, Lester, Leo, Jewell, Fannie (McCoy), Media (Schultz), Willie (Wright), Ruby (Thomas), and Stephen Ross Cloud. Incidentally, the Cloud family claims a descendant, Daniel Cloud, who fought and died in the battle of the Alamo. Brother Stephen Cloud's father, John W. Cloud, was born in Kentucky and raised in Austin, Texas. His mother, Jett Peoples Cloud, came from Arkansas. It may be difficult for younger generations to relate to the times that Stephen Cloud was born almost 100 years ago. The experience of shopping the big department stores and browsing acres of mall shops is hard to compare with growing, weaving and spinning clothes out of raw materials by hand, as they did years ago. Stephen Ross Cloud met his 'wife to be' at a party in Austin, and courted her in a horse and buggy. He and Millie Christine Rundberg Cloud, of Austin, Tx., were married on October 13, 1917. They were married one year and one month before the signing of the Armistice in Compiegne, France ending the "Great War", as they then referred to World War L Three years after they were married, Stephen and Millie purchased their first car—a 1920 Ford Roadster. The horse and buggy times had ended for this young couple. For nearly 60 years Stephen and Millie farmed 100 acres in Thrall, Texas. When they first started farming, cotton was "King" and sold for 42 cents per pound. When they retired it was selling for around 80 cents per pound. As a young farmer Stephen sold his first bale of cotton at Fiskville, Texas, bringing him a small fortune of $234.60! Brother and Sister Cloud suffered the loss of a son, Leroy Carl Cloud, who was killed in France during World War II, on July 28, 1944. Millie passed away on April 11, 1985. Surviving family members include a son, Ross Cloud and wife, Lillian Cloud of Taylor, Texas, grandson, Stephen Lee Cloud of Austin, Texas,
granddaughter, Janice Dishman and husband, Dee Dishman of Lampasas, and great-grandchildren, Jason and Paula Cloud of Wheeling, West Virginia and Port Aransas, Texas., respectively, and Dan David Dishman, and Audra Dawn Dishman, of Lampasas. Throughout the years Stephen enjoyed playing a fiddle in a band called, "Hanson and Cloud Brothers." He also served as a trustee at the Thrall School for 12 years, and helped raise funding for the first gymnasium. Stephen is the last surviving tenant of the Stiles Foundation. He now resides in Thrall, Texas, in the same house he has lived in since 1928. It is with great respect that we honor members like Stephen—if not with awe of the era from which they came and survived, then with gratitude for making the sacrifices that have guaranteed our country prosperity and freedom. Mr. Cloud was honored by his Lodge No. 48, Beyersville, on Sunday, October 4th, 1992. At that time he was presented with a check for his cash option, and given a certificate stating he will remain an SPJST member with no further dues or assessments required. The check and the certificate were presented by Supreme Lodge President, Howard Leshikar. To Stephen and his family, best wishes for many years of health and happiness to come, and congratulations to Brother Cloud for reaching the grand age of 961 Otillie Jurchak Sister Otillie Jurchak celebrated her 96th birthday on Tuesday, October 13, 1992. She was born in New Wehdem, Texas to Josephine (Kamas) Chernosky and Ignac Chernosky of Nelsonville, Texas. She married John Jurchak from Welcome, Texas, on January 3, 1917—just four months before the United States declared war on Germany. This must have been a time of great uncertainty as America stood poised at the edge of committing her young men to war. John and Otillie Jurchak farmed in Nelsonville, Texas., from 1917 to 1920. Along with millions of other Americans, they worked the land from sunup to sundown, spent every item with careful determination and wore their clothes to threadbareness. This generation had been taught,
Fro left to right, LA an Cloud, Janice lishman, Stephen Ross Croud, Ross Cloud and Ste„ ien Lee Cloud. II
and they taught their children, to "waste 30, 1921, son Darwin Jurchak, January 29, not, want not". Frequently they would 1991 and granddaughter Beverly Jurchak have only clabber and potatoes for their Sommer, on February 28, 1988. evening meal. Surviving family members include Later the Jurchaks moved to Ford Bend Son, Sydney S. Jurchak and wife, County and farmed in the Needville com- Georgie, living in Houston, daughter-inmunity until 1960, enjoying an idyllic law, Noillie Jurchak, of Rosenberg, grandAmerican life during the years of peace- daughter Vicki Jurchak Zajicek and husband, Larry of Houston, Texas., grandson, time and prosperity. While her sons were in school at Seiler, Ronney Jurchak and wife, Glenda of Sister Jurchak took an active part in the Houston, great-granddaughter Lee Ann Parents and Teachers Sommer of Houston Association (TA). She and great-grandson, also cared for a large Lesly Sommer living garden, using the vegin Austin, Texas. etables for canning. As Sister Jurchak has well as canning the been an SPJST memvegetables from her ber for many years, garden, Otillie loved and has other family working with her potmembers who also ted flowers. She belong to the SPJST received many first Society. These famiplace awards for her ly members include delicious canned Sydney and Georgie goods and tenderly Jurchak, Ronney Jurcared for flowers at the chak. Larry Zaiicek. Rosenberg County Lee Ann Sommer Fairs. Sister Otillie and Lesley Sommer was an active member Sister Jurchak has of the Rosenberg a half-brother, Ed Otillie Jurchak Brethren Church and Chernosky, living in the Christian Sisters Society. She baked a Houston, Texas and a sister-in-law, Mrs. lot of kolaches in her lifetime and continOtto (Sadie) Chemosky, living in a nursued to make them until her eyesight failed, ing home in Bellville. Deceased are forcing her to give up this favorite pasbrother Otto Chernosky, and half-sister time. Mattie Streb. The Jurchak's moved in 1960 to To Otillie, we wish to convey our conRosenberg, where Otillie lived until gratulations on celebrating her 96th birthMarch of 1992. She now resides at the day, and thank her for her faithful memSPJST Rest Home No. II at Needville, bership these past 53 years. She will Texas. She participates in, and enjoys, all remain an SPJST member, with no furthe activities at the rest home. ther dues or assessments required. Sister Jurchak's husband, John, passed —Compiled by the away on March 15, 1962. Otillie also lost S.L. President's Office —SPJSTdaughter, Ionie Been Jurchak, on January