TAMA- Marie K. Vileta, age 93, a well known and prominent Tama County resident found peace and tranquility on April 12, 2007.
Marie was born on January 29, 1914 in Clutier, Iowa to Joseph C. and Mary (Kucera) Caloud. Marie attended elementary and high school in Clutier and continued to further her education at Iowa State Teachers College (now known as University of Northern Iowa) where she received a degree in teaching. She first taught in a rural, one-room school in Tama County, near Elberon, boarding with a near-by farm family, as was the common thing to do at that time. On June 27, 1934 she was united in marriage to Arnold J. Vileta at the Little Bit Of Heaven Chapel in Davenport, Iowa. They have always made their home in Tama. During WWII, while Arnold served his country in the military, Marie continued to maintain their home in Tama with their two children. Upon Arnold's safe return, Marie's great desire to resume teaching required her to take summer classes at Coe College in Cedar Rapids. She resumed teaching in rural schools in Tama County but when those schools were being phased out she returned to her elementary school in Clutier where she taught for several years. She then transferred to the North Tama School District in Traer until her retirement in 1976. One thing she was very firm about was that all her pupils learn Roman Numerals. During her retirement years she found great satisfaction in doing volunteer work at the Iowa Veterans Home in Marshalltown. She also gave speeches and demonstrations to any civic organization as to how to display and take care of the American Flag. She was very adamant about proper respect for the flag. During our great country's Bi-Centennial in 1976, she found a new venue to continue learning and to share what she learned to everyone who would read her weekly articles in the Tama News Herald. Her by-line FROM OUT OF THE PAST……. was a favorite of the readers. And oh how she loved to research and write. The seven dots following the by-line represented her seven grandsons of whom she was so proud. She wrote poetry and had several of her poems published. She was a collector of bricks with words/names imprinted on them and she also collected glass slippers/shoes, having accumulated well over 2,000 of them. Each one was numbered and entered into a book explaining who gave the shoe and where it came from. She was a charter member of Si Episilom, also a member of Tama County Historical Society, Alpha Psi Student Grant, WFLA, Clutier Building Preservation, Iowa Veterans Home Library, Lincoln Highway Association, Rebekah Lodge, International Brick Collector Association, VFW Auxiliary, American Legion Auxiliary, Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, Czech Heritage Foundation Inc., and Farm Bureau.
She has rejoined her parents, a brother Wilbert J. Caloud, grandson Jeffrey Vileta, and daughter-in-law Terry Vileta.
Left to mourn her passing is her husband of 72 years Arnold; daughter, Marilyn (Dale) Hicks of Marshalltown; son, Merrill C. Vileta of Brooklyn; grandsons, John Vileta, David (Alyson) Hicks, Michael (Laura) Fricke, Morris (Cindy) Fricke, Mitchell (Deedee) Fricke, and Matthew Fricke; a brother, Norbert J. (Evelyn) Caloud; and a sister-in-law Alma Caloud. Also 15 great-grandchildren; seven great-great grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews along with all of her former students and friends scattered across the world.
Funeral Services and a celebration of Marie's Life will be held on Monday, April 16, 2007 at 10:30 AM at the Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama with Pastor Jerry Avise-Rouse officiating. Interment will follow at National Cemetery in rural Vining. Visitation will be held on Sunday, April 15 from 2 to 5 PM at the Kruse-Phillips Funeral Home in Tama.
A memorial fund has been established.