Albina Therese O'Sullivan
December 16, 1917 - July 7, 2011
Obituary
Albina Therese Fencl O’Sullivan
December 16, 1917-July 7, 2011
Albina was known as a woman of grace, faith, strength, and loyalty to family. Among many other gifts, Albina gave her family, friends, and acquaintances her love, her optimism, a sweet nature, and a beautiful smile. Her values, perseverance, and accomplishments have been, and will always be, an inspiration to all of us who have had the great joy of knowing her.
Born in Weston, Nebraska on December 16, 1917, Albina Therese was the ninth of ten children born to Frank J. Fencl and Victoria Rerucha Fencl. Growing up in a farming family in the very difficult times of the dust bowl and the Great Depression, she left home to find work, to send money home to help support her family. This included traveling to California with a family as their nanny, and sometimes working two jobs at once. We thank Albina for reminding us that unselfishly helping others is our most important work while on earth.
Returning to Nebraska, she worked at the Mead Ordinance plant while working to get her High School diploma from Lincoln High School at the age of 26. She went on to attend the University of Nebraska Teachers College, then the National Business Institute. In 1948 she went to the Junior College of Kansas City for two years to study business. Always striving to expand her education, she graduated from Seattle University with a bachelor’s degree in Commercial Science in 1962. Her perseverance and appreciation for education will be one of the memorable legacies for her family.
Albina’s professional career started with The Elastic Stop Nut Corporation inventors of locking nuts in Nebraska. She moved to Topeka, Kansas, with the Bureau of Agricultural Economics, and then to the Farmers Home Administration, continuing on to the Internal Revenue Service in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1949 Albina took a vacation by train with a friend. One stop was Seattle, Washington. While visiting Seattle, she received an offer of employment from the Alaska Communications Systems, and moved from Kansas City to Seattle. She began her work for the U.S. government GSA General Services Administration when the U.S. Army took over The Alaska Communications Systems and then the Boeing Division of the U.S. Air Force. The GSA moved her to El Segundo, California, working for the Air Force Contract Administration overseeing $12B in contracts! She retired from civil service with the Air Force in March of 1971. She received a certificate for ‘ 24 years of faithful and devoted Federal service’.
In recognition of her accomplishments while working with the GSA, Albina received the Improved Operations Award three times from the U.S. Army, Best Performance Awards from the U.S. Air Force, and a Presidential Citation for Efficiency Achievements from President Lyndon B. Johnson. It is only now that we know about these honors from her memoirs and notes. Along with her many other qualities, she was always unassuming and humble.
As a beautiful, classy young working woman in Seattle, Albina enjoyed friends, travelling, and ballroom dancing. While in Seattle, she met her future husband, Arthur J. O’Sullivan, before moving to California. Arthur ‘could not live without her’ and convinced her to return and marry him, which she did on September 6, 1969. It is easy to appreciate his feelings, knowing her from our family perspective. Arthur was a lawyer, and a widower with three grown children. Though she married later in life, she and Arthur enjoyed twenty-six years of marriage- travelling, gardening, and spending time with family- until his passing in 1995. Albina cherished her role as a wife, step-mother and grandmother, and loved the time she spent with her family.
Albina’s immeasurable energy and quest for knowledge took her on trips across the country and around the world. Beginning in 1959, her passport boasts visits to Russia, Egypt, Tunisia, England, Germany, Poland, Croatia, Czechoslovakia and Greece. She and Art had many beautiful pictures and souvenirs of their trips.
Her passion for genealogy took Albina to Czechoslovakia, where she furthered her genealogical work by visiting Czech archives and the towns of her ancestors. She also researched archives in Kansas City, Missouri and Salt Lake City, Utah, eventually taking her family tree back to the 1600s. This work has left a legacy for the family to appreciate and enjoy.
Albina was a devout lifelong Catholic whose faith was the foundation of the way she lived her life. As a child, she attended Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church in Prague, Nebraska. During her years in Seattle, she attended St. Catherine Church, and in her last few years, St. Theresa Church in Federal Way, WA.
After suffering a stroke in 2004, Albina lived with her great-nephew, Ray Vankat and his family in Northeast Tacoma for one year. She showed her usual determination and worked to become well enough to live independently at an assisted living facility in Federal Way until her death on July 7th, 2011.
Albina’s life story would not be complete without including memories that her nieces and nephews have of her. While they saw her only a few times at weddings, funerals or family gatherings, her visits were anticipated with as much excitement as if royalty were coming. She was an accomplished person of the world, and family was always in awe of how she carried herself with such grace and dignity while showing nothing but love and caring for everyone.
She has inspired every member of her family in one way or another, leaving us with fond memories, a role model for the ages, and the motivation to leave this world a better place.
Albina Therese was preceded in death by husband, Arthur, brothers Thomas, Ludvik, Louis, Stanley, and Rudy, sisters Lillian Vyhlidal, Hattie Vyhlidal, Tillie Vachal, niece Rose Marie Vachal Vankat, and nephews Adolph C. Vachal and Bill Vyhlidal. She is survived by her brother, Bohumil Fencl of Wahoo, NE; great-nephew Ray Vankat and wife Lois, son John and daughter Josilyn of Tacoma, WA; numerous nieces and nephews in the Midwest; step-children in Seattle, Ann O’Sullivan Nachtigal Chet and children Jeff, MC, and Andy;, Marnie O’Sullivan John Schlosser, and children Sam and Laura; and Jim O’Sullivan Cynnemin and daughters Caitlin and Maureene.
Visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 12, 2011 from 5-8 pm at Bonney-Watson Funeral Home in Federal Way, with rosary beginning at 7 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, July 13, 2011 at 10 a.m. at St. Theresa’s Catholic Church in Federal Way, WA. Interment will be at 2 p.m. at Holyrood Cemetery.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Vincent de Paul Society, c/o St. Theresa Catholic Church, 3939 SW 331th St, Federal Way, WA 98023, or to the charity of your choice.
Aunt Albina was an amazing woman- a beautiful, gracious, talented woman. She has certainly left her mark on those of us who knew and loved her. I thank God for her long and fulfilling life, and for her example of a positive spirit, an attitude of determination, a life of faith, and an unforgettable smile. May God bless Ray, Lois, John, and Josilyn for their years of dedicated care for her, and may she rest in peace.
Our prayers are with all those who mourn the loss of such a beautiful person. Reading about Albina’s life is inspiring and fills me with pride.
She had such a welcoming smile and warm presence with everyone she met. Thank you to all who took care of her and loved her right up to the day she passed away. Thank you God for Aunt Albina! May her soul and all the souls of the faithful departed rest in peace.
We have fond memories of the the visit to Nebraska several years ago at my parents house. It was an exciting conversation and wonderful dinner. Our prayers are with the family and friends.
Jason, Erin, Ella, Blake, and Bryn Vyhlidal
Albina was a joy to talk to and learn from as she always had so much wisdom to share. I remember visiting her home and seeing their rose garden, talking with her about our Czech ancestry and her love of faith, family and travel. Her smile radiated peace and love. Well done good and faithful servant, now enter the joy of your Master’s house!
Albina’s smile is unforgettable. Her spirit will live on in those who knew and loved her. Special thanks to Ray, Lois, John, and Josilyn for the excellent loving care you gave her. Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord.
Albina – it was an honor to know you and care for you. We will always appreciate and love you.
Lois Vankat
May God grant eternal peace and joy to Albina. I will remember her as a woman of joy, with the bravery to be separated from her home and family while fostering a sense of adventure and lifelong learning. A good strong Czech woman! I am proud to come from such stock! Blessings to Ray, Lois, Jos, and John for their great care of our great-aunt.
I’m a 2nd cousin who gave Albina info of the FenclFamily and
did not hear any more about her. Would appreciate any one
that would like to get ahold of me.
Thanks
Otis MFencl 1932