Silvia Hecht, 96, of Seneca, Kansas, peacefully went to be with the Lord on Monday morning, July 1, 2024 at the Nemaha Valley Community Hospital in Seneca.

She was born on January 31, 1928, on a farm east of Pawnee City, Nebraska, to Frank and Maggie Dvorak Kalina. She attended grades 1-8 at the Sheridan School District #14, 3 ½ miles east of Pawnee City, Nebraska and graduated from Pawnee City High School in 1945.

Following high school, Silvia helped her brothers Bill, Gene, and sister Velma operate the family farm. It was at a dance at the ZCBJ Hall, one mile north of DuBois, Nebraska that she met the love of her life, Francis Ferdinand William Hecht. This love for each other was blessed in wedded matrimony at Friedens United Church of Christ on June 15, 1947. To this union three sons and two daughters were born.

At the center of Francis and Silvia’s lives was the farm, nine miles north and ¾ mile west of Seneca, which produced crops, hogs, and cattle. With a large garden, chickens, and a dairy cow most food came from the farm. Silvia loved to preserve a multitude of vegetables, fruits, preserves and meat by freezing or canning. Her basement pantry and freezer were always full of wonderful things to prepare for family and guests.

Silvia was also known for her love of baking. She continued the Maggie Kalina tradition of making traditional Czech kolaches, fulfilling requests for peach, cherry, apple, apricot, cottage cheese/raisins and poppy seed fillings. She also loved to make pies, cakes, cinnamon rolls, and one could always count on finding cookies in the freezer.

Silvia loved to sew, making clothes for the family, banners for the church and quilts for the grandchildren and great-grandchildren. As the family seamstress Silvia was known for beautiful dresses, especially matching square dance dresses & shirts and suits. Silvia’s daughters were often seen in matching dresses sewn by Silvia.

Silvia was also known and admired for her crocheting projects. Her crocheted afghans, doilies, hot pads and scrubbers are cherished family gifts, and she did a large crocheted “Lords Prayer” which was framed is displayed in the Friedens Church. She taught grandchildren to crochet and has great-grandchildren today emulating her.

Silvia was a member of Friedens Church and the Women’s Fellowship at the church serving as President, Secretary and Reporter. She was a member of the Kansas-Nebraska Extension Unit for 45 years serving in many different capacities including being on the county extension advisory board. Silvia served as secretary of the Nemaha County Home Health Board and was on the local tri-township election board.  Silvia also found time to volunteer at the local food pantry.

Silvia and Francis loved to square dance and danced frequently for over 40 years, proudly helping capture banners from clubs in Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska. They also shared a passion for playing cards with family and friends and especially enjoyed playing Somerset with their card club. Silvia and Francis enjoyed traveling on tours across the U.S., Europe, including three tours to the UK and many trips to enjoy Branson, Missouri entertainment. They also enjoyed traveling coast to coast visiting family and attending their children and grandchildren special occasions. Silvia and Francis enthusiastically followed the many sporting activities of their children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren.

Silvia made her home at Crestview the last four years of her life.

Francis preceded her in death on April 6, 2006. Besides her husband, she was preceeded in death by her parents, Frank on September 7, 1945 and Maggie on December 3, 1980; brothers, William Kalina on May 23, 2002 and Eugene Kalina August 3, 2012; brother-in-law, Wilbert “Bill” Hecht on June 1, 2000; and sisters-in-law, Ruby Hecht on March 3, 1995, Viannah Hecht Wicki on April 23, 2006, sister-in-law, Dorthea Kalina on September 22, 2006; and brother-in-law, Joe Wicki on June 19, 2004.

Survivors are her three sons, Donald Hecht (Teri) of Carmel, Indiana and William “Bill” Hecht (Betty) and Robert “Bob” Hecht (Connie) both of Seneca; two daughters, Janet Hanway (John)of Stamford, Connecticut and Sheila Radecki (Pete) of Springfield, Missouri; a sister, Velma Hecht of Overland Park, Kansas; sister-in-law, Alice Kalina of Fremont, Nebraska; 12 grandchildren; and 28 great-grandchildren.

Friday, July 5^th, the family will meet with friends from 5 to 7 P.M. at the Lauer Funeral Home in Seneca.

Funeral Services will be 10:30 A.M. on Saturday, July 6, 2024, at Frieden’s Church, north of Seneca. The burial will be at the church cemetery.

Memorials may be left in Silvia’s memory to Frieden’s Church, Nemaha Valley Community Hospital or the Bern Community Center, sent in care of the family.