Irene M. Hovorka

Irene M. Hovorka, age 95, of Yankton, South Dakota, died on Tuesday, July 1, 2025 at Avera Sister James Care Center in Yankton.

Mass of Christian Burial will be 10:00 AM on Tuesday, July 8, 2025, at St. Benedict Catholic Church in Yankton, South Dakota, with Reverend Tom Anderson officiating. Burial will be in St. Wenceslaus Cemetery in Tabor, South Dakota. Visitation is from 5:00 to 7:00 PM on Monday, July 7, 2025 at the Wintz & Ray Funeral Home in Yankton with a rosary and vigil service at 7:00 PM.

Irene M. Hovorka was born October 17, 1929, in Wagner, South Dakota, to Paul and Leona (Oliva) Cuka. She grew up on the farm near Wagner and after school began working at the café in Wagner. She married Willard Hovorka on April 18, 1950 in Tyndall, South Dakota and moved to their farm near Tabor, South Dakota. Irene took great pride in helping on the farm and raising her children. They moved into Tabor and Irene got involved with the Green Thumb Program in Tabor and started working at the school in Tabor in the library and in the lunch room. She then became a librarian at the Tabor Library. She moved to Yankton in 2018 and became a resident at the Sunrise Apartments.

Irene was a member of St. Benedict Catholic Church, the Catholic Daughters, Tabor Senior Citizens Center, and a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary. She was a faithful, patriotic, caring, woman who became Grandma Irene to every child in Tabor. She had a strong devotion to the rosary, leading many rosaries before Mass for the Catholic Daughters. She was very proud of her work with the American Legion Girls State and helping with Czech Days. She loved her family, organizing and attending many family reunions as well as keeping newspaper clippings and records of all her extended family members.

Survivors include her son, Ron (Gail) Hovorka in Tabor, South Dakota; four grandchildren: Heidi (Dave) Hovorka Mendez of Newport News, Virginia; Chad Hovorka of Tyndall, South Dakota; Marc Hovorka of Yankton; and Ashley Hovorka (Brett Heine) of Yankton; two great grandchildren: Breyer and Briggs Heine; brother-in-law, Melvin Delzer of Mitchell, South Dakota; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, Willard in 1997; daughter, Cheryl Hovorka; brother, Joe Cuka and sister, Margie Hovorka.