Monica Novak

Monica Novak

Monica Novak passed away peacefully at her daughter and son-in-law’s (Reinette and Ray Walter) home, Sunday morning, August 16, 2009, from pancreatic cancer.

Monica Novak was born January 10, 1918 to Andrew and Anna (Yurko) Vanyo, at their farm home in Northland Township, East Grand Forks, MN. She attended a country school 1 ½ miles away from home, where she graduated from the 8th grade. Following her school years, she stayed home to help her Dad and Mom farm. She milked cows, gardened, canned and helped with the housework. Being the oldest in the family, she also helped care for her two brothers and five sisters when they were younger.

Monica loved dancing and got acquainted with Walter Novak, who she dated and married when she was 19 on October 27, 1937. They were married at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Tabor, MN. Following their marriage, they farmed near Tabor and in September of 1956, they purchased a farm near Brooks and raised their family. She loved working with her family and enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

When Walter retired, they loved to travel with family, friends and tour groups. She also enjoyed playing cards and bingo, flower and vegetable gardening, sewing, entering exhibits at the local fairs, where she received many purple and blue ribbons for her baking, canning, embroidering and quilt making.

Monica and Walter were members of St. Anthony’s Church in Terrebonne, where she sang in the church choir and was a member of the St. Ann’s Society and Church Guild. She had a deep devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Rosary. She was also a member of the Catholic Daughters of America, Catholic Order of Foresters and Catholic Ladies Slovakian Association. When St. Anthony’s church closed in July of 2000, they became members of St. Joseph’s Church in Brooks.

She lived on the family farm with her son Raymond, until her recent illness.

Monica is survived by her children: Jerome (Barb) Novak of Brooks, MN, Leonard (Marilyn) Novak of Warren, MN, Walter Jr. “Danny” (Cindy) Novak of Brooks, MN, Raymond Novak of Brooks, Reinette (Ray) Walter of Plummer, MN, Gerard (Kim) Novak of Thief River Falls, MN, Anita (Jack) Mattson of Rochester, MN, and Madonna (Dan) Johnson of Ames, IA; Brother, Andrew (Judy) Vanyo of Moorhead, MN; Sisters: Mildred Novak of East Grand Forks, MN, Mary Anne Tupa of Grand Forks, ND and Elvern Vanyo of Tabor, MN; brother-in-law, Albert Kovar of Crookston, MN; 21 grandchildren: Rebecca, Tim, Linda, Nancy, Steve, Jackie, Tom, Theresa, Christopher, Carly, Caleb, Renae, Victoria, Jennifer, Brian, Alyssa, Sarah, Adam, Paul, Laura and Jacob; 35 great grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Walter; an infant daughter, Dorothy Ann; parents, Andrew and Anna Vanyo; brother, Anthony Vanyo and wife Ethel; sisters: Dorothy Kovar and Irene Pribula and husband, Leon; and brothers-in-law, Herman Tupa and Anthony Novak.

A Mass of Christian Burial: 11 a.m., Friday, August 21, 2009, at St. Joseph Church, Brooks, MN, with Father Chuck Huck and Father Duane Pribula concelebrating.

Visitation: 5 – 8 p.m., Thursday, August 20, 2009 at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Brooks, MN, with a 6:30 p.m. Rosary and 7 p.m. prayer service, and one hour prior to the service on Friday.

Burial: St. Anthony’s Cemetery, Terrebonne, MN.

Family condolences may be sent to www.johnsonfuneralservice.com

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