Evelyn L. Beran

Evelyn L. Beran, age 99 of Tabor, passed away on Monday, September 22, 2014 at her home. Funeral services will be held at the Opsahl Kostel Memorial Chapel in Tabor on Friday, September 26, 2014 at 10:30 am. Visitations will be at the Opsahl-Kostel Memorial Chapel, Tabor on Thursday, September 25, 2014 from 5 to 8 pm with a 7 pm prayer service. Burial will take place at the ZCBJ Cemetery south of Tabor after the funeral service. Visitations will resume one hour prior to the service at the memorial chapel.

Evelyn (Blachnik) Beran the only daughter of Emil and Minnie (Jancik) Blachnik was born March 18, 1915 at their newly constructed home in Tabor, and passed away in the same home on September 22, 2014.

As a young child she assisted her parents in their family Tabor Meat Market. She attended Tabor Public School and graduated from Tabor High School in 1933. After graduation she attended the Samuels Cosmetology School in Sioux Falls. In 1935 she owned and operated the Curly Beauty Shop in Tabor which was the first beauty shop in town.

On October 7, 1940 she was married to Emil Beran at the rural Presbyterian Church west of Tabor. Together they established their home on the farm in the Elm Grove area just southeast of Tabor along highway 50. Their two children, Darrell and Sherry, were born there.

For Evelyn, farm life was quite a change, but she loved it, where there was so much independence with gardening, pets, etc. When harvest was completed the family took auto trip vacations throughout the entire U.S. After the children grew up, Emil and Evelyn toured by bus and made four trips to Europe, including the home of their ancestors in the Czech Republic where they became acquainted with relatives and corresponded with them and now by computer.

After 68 years on the farm, the Beran's retired to their home in Tabor in 2008 and were still active to enjoy the rest of their lives. Evelyn was called upon frequently to translate letters written in Czech and also to answer questions about where people and businesses were located in town. Evelyn compiled family histories on both sides of her family. The Beran's maintained and gave tours of the Blachnik museum which was created by Evelyn's father.

The Beran's were selected as Czech Days parade marshals in 2010. Evelyn was a member of the Tabor Chamber of Commerce and Czech Heritage Preservation Society.

She is survived by Emil her husband of 73 years, son Darrell (Ann) Beran and daughter Sherry (Dennis) Povondra all of Tabor; grandchildren Brenda Beran of Sioux Falls, Brian (Amy) Beran now living on the family farm southeast of Tabor and Mark Povondra of Tabor; great grandchildren Braden and Maxwell Beran.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a great granddaughter, Ava Grace Underberg.

In lieu of flowers, the family wishes for memorials to be directed to the Czech Heritage Preservation Society, P.O. Box 3, Tabor, SD 57078.