LaVaun Faye Soucek

La Vaun Faye Soucek, 88, passed away in her home in Overland Park, Kansas on Saturday, August 29, 2020 from complications of Alzheimer’s.  Her husband, Dr. Charles Dean Soucek predeceased her by almost exactly three years.

La Vaun (Hefnider) Soucek was born in Wichita, Kansas on April 25, 1932 to the late William J. and Laura (Syring) Hefnider.  La Vaun was big sister to the late William D. Hefnider and to her sister Norma (Hefnider) Eurek.  She was a devoted, lifelong member of the Lutheran church.

When La Vaun was in grade school, her family moved from Wichita to Roseland, Nebraska to take up farm life.  La Vaun was not happy about doing farm chores!  But in Roseland, she was glad to attend high school with her “twin cousin” Donna Lee (Hoppens) Buss, daughter of her mother’s twin sister.

After graduating Roseland High School, La Vaun worked as a secretary for two years and met medical school student Charles Soucek.  They married in Holstein, Nebraska in 1954.  After medical school, Charles served in the Navy Medical Corp from 1957-59 in Taiwan. La Vaun enjoyed their time in Taiwan and she developed an appreciation for Chinese culture and art.

La Vaun and Charles moved to Kansas City, Kansas in 1964, where Charles practiced medicine.  They moved their two young daughters and later had two sons.  La Vaun was a loving, full-time mother, serving as PTA president and shuttling children to lessons.  She also found time to learn new skills like classical guitar, cake decorating, crewel embroidery, and still-life painting.  She served as president of the Bethany Medical Center Auxiliary, supporting the hospital where Charles practiced.

Charles and La Vaun enjoyed travel including trips to Europe, Russia, Mexico, and Hawaii.  Every Thursday afternoon was Charles’ “happy half day off,” and La Vaun would dress up and they would go out for an afternoon date.

In 1980, Charles and La Vaun purchased Captain’s Fancy resort at Lake of the Ozarks in Gravois Mills, Missouri.  La Vaun served as the hands-on resort manager every summer for 25 years.  She enjoyed hosting resort guests and shopping for treasures at flea markets.  Meanwhile Charles was purchasing rental homes in the Kansas City area.  Charles performed the property maintenance and La Vaun ran the office.  Her calm temperament and intelligence made her an excellent property manager and accountant.

La Vaun is survived and celebrated by her four children:  Susan (Soucek) Miller, Angela Soucek (and Latecia Mills) Charles M. Soucek (and Liwa Soucek) and Anthony Soucek.  She is survived by five grandchildren:  Allen Lee, Stephanie Soucek, Caillean (Soucek) Lobins, Eric Soucek and Owen Soucek.

Funeral services were Thursday, 10:30 am, September 3, 2020 at the United Methodist Church in Bladen with the Rev. Dan Albers officiating. Interment was at the East Lawn Cemetery.

Due to the current pandemic all guests are asked to wear a face mask and practice social distancing.

Williams Funeral Home
241 West 4th Avenue
Red Cloud, Nebraska  68970
Phone 402-746-2500
williamsfuneralhomes@yahoo.com

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