Lois Ann (Picht) Svestka

Lois Ann Svestka, 85, passed away on January 19th, 2022 at Mayo Clinic Hospital Saint Marys Campus in Rochester, MN.  Lois was born April 10, 1936 in Story County Iowa to Clifford and Vivian (Smith) Picht.  She graduated from Fernald High School in Fernald, Iowa in 1954.  After graduation she attended Waldorf College and Business School in Des Moines and worked in Des Moines until January 1959 at which time she moved to Cresco where she worked in the Credit Bureau of Howard County.  On June 3, 1961 she married Arthur Svestka at the Assumption Church in Cresco. 

Lois had always been an avid seamstress with amazing sewing skills.  She made her own wedding dress, all her bridesmaids’ dresses and countless other dresses and outfits for family and friends throughout the years.  In her later years she turned to quilting – everything from bed quilts to decorative wall hangings to Christmas tree skirts and more.  Lois was active in a variety of community groups including the Rosary Society, Hospital Auxiliary, CIMOTA, Quilt Guild, and Meals on Wheels.  She also volunteered her time with her children’s activities like Cub Scouts and Camp Fire.   She spent time working for Kuene Brother’s Construction and Erickson-Prochaska Auction and Real Estate.

Lois was also always very happy providing delicious meals and treats for her family.  From her potato salad, home-made pizzas and meatloaf frosted with mashed potatoes she always made sure they were taken care of.  Her kids cannot convey the excitement they would have when they got home from school and smelled the pie crust scraps with cinnamon and sugar or saw the angel-food cake cooling upside down on that old pop bottle.

In her free time she really enjoyed playing golf at the Cresco Country Club, taking family camping trips and going on VIP bus tours.  Her friends were always an important part of her life.  She was a proud member of the Notre Dame BPA, always enjoyed having a Coke with the other Valley Manor Drive moms, appreciated her Saturday morning coffee therapy group and loved playing countless games of Canasta and Bridge with her dear friends.  Lastly, and most of all, she enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren.

Lois enjoyed two very special visits in the Fall of 2021.  In September, she spent time with all of her children together at Jeff’s home in Rohnert Park, CA.  Later in September her brother and sister paid her a surprise visit at her home in Cresco.

She is survived by her children Mike (Sandy) of Owatonna, MN; Jeff (Jessi Ping) of Rohnert Park, CA; Rochelle of West Des Moines, IA; Doug (Jeni) of Lakeville, MN; seven grandchildren Matthew, Emily, Megan, Sunny, Scarlett, Georgia, Mimi; brother Cliff Picht; sister Clarise Jean Smith and many nieces and nephews. 
She was preceded in death by her husband Art; her parents Clifford and Vivian; sister Ilene Jennings, brothers-in-law Mervin Jennings, Leon Smith and nephew David Dean.

Memorials are preferred to Regional Health Services Howard County Hospital Auxiliary, Notre Dame Parish, or Howard County Community Hospice.  Cards can be sent to Lois c/o Mike Svestka, 1180 Esther Lane, Owatonna MN 55060.

Visitation will be Monday, January 24, 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., at Hindt-Hudek Funeral Home in Cresco.  The funeral service for Lois will be Tuesday, January 25, 1:00 p.m. at Notre Dame Parish, Cresco, Iowa.  Visitation will also be held one hour prior to the service.  At the family’s request, anyone attending the visitation and/or funeral will be asked to wear a provided mask covering the mouth and nose - regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.

 Lois’s funeral service will be live-streamed on father Jacob Rouse’s YouTube channel. To access the video link, please visit the Notre Dame Parish and Catholic School website.

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.