Clara Elizabeth Konecny

Clara Elizabeth Konecny, 98, was called Home by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, April 23, 2022.  She was born to August Christopher Merka and Frances Zemanek Merka on July 4, 1923 in Brazos County, Texas and lived in Bryan, Texas all of her life.  She was one of nine siblings and always said that she was the only “firecracker” her mother ever had.

Clara married Thomas Joseph Konecny on October 7, 1941 in St. Joseph Catholic Church where she was a lifetime member and also a member of Age Managers and Sons of Hermann, Lodge #99.

Clara was a great seamstress and made many beautiful quilts for all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She loved going places with any family member, especially, shopping and going to a casino to play the slots.  She loved the outdoors especially gardening, planting flowers, and mowing grass on her lawn tractor.  Clara retired from F. W. Woolworth after a long and enjoyable career.

Clara was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Konecny, and parents, August and Frances Merka, brothers, Henry Merka and wife Theresa, Paul (Paulie) Merka, sisters, Christine and husband Estal Lewis, Lillian and husband Frank Lero III, Annie and husband Ridgel Shaffner, Mary and husband McNeil Fick, Emma and husband Paul Hampton, and daughter Doris and son-in-law Johnny Vernon Hartsfield.

Clara is survived by one sister, Dorothy Maner and her husband J. T.; and twin daughters, Shirley Sodolak and husband John Martin, and Barbara Drews and husband James.  Grandchildren include Dennis Hartsfield and wife Eloisa, Cindy (Hartsfield) Moore and husband Lenney, Chris Sodolak and wife Lesa, Jana (Drews) Stratta and husband Chuck, Deborah (Sodolak) Morgan and husband Scott, Shay (Drews) Fleitas and husband Anthony, great grandchildren Nathan Hartsfield, Wesley Stratta, Michelle (Stratta) Johnston and husband Kevin, Kaycee (Davis) Sims and husband Drew, Chelsea Davis, Tucker Moore, Paden Davis, Kameron Davis and wife Kaycee, Kaleb Davis and wife Jaycie, Cash Davis, Garrett Fleitas and wife Britney, Jordan Fleitas, Chase Sodolak; and great-great granddaughters, Amelia and Oaklee Sims, Madilynn Johnston; and great-great grandson, O’rion Davis.

A visitation will be held from 10-10:30 am, on Monday, May 2, 2022, at Hillier of BRYAN. The recitation of the Holy Rosary will begin at 11 am, followed by the Mass of Christian Burial, at St. Joseph Catholic Church on Monday, May 2, 2022.  Interment services will follow at Smetana Cemetery.

Honoring Clara as pallbearers are Dennis Hartsfield, Lenney Moore, Chris Sodolak, Chuck Stratta, Anthony Fleitas, and Scott Morgan.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to St. Joseph Catholic Church in Bryan, Texas or Hospice Brazos Valley, Bryan, Texas or to a charity of your choice.

The family would like to especially thank the staff of CHI St. Joseph Manor Skilled Nursing facility and Hospice Brazos Valley for their compassionate care of Clara.