Mildred Helen “Millie” (Kral) Hladky, daughter of Albert J. Kral and Agnes J. (Pecka) Most, was born in Fillmore County on Dec. 3, 1935, and passed away in Perry Hall, Maryland, on April 29, 2024, at the age of 88 years, 4 months and 26 days.
Millie graduated from Crete High School in 1953. She was united in marriage to Richard Barber on Jan. 16, 1954, and following their divorce in 1959, was a single mother until her marriage to Reynold E. Hladky on Dec. 29, 1962. At the time Reynold passed in 2020, they had been married more than 57 years.
In her younger years, she worked for Lincoln Welding Supply Company (now Linweld), Dale’s Electronics in Columbus and Formfit in Crete until 1963, when she left to raise her family.
Millie raised six children, crocheted, cooked, canned, cleaned chickens, and loved, loved, loved her beautiful flower gardens. She could always be found with dirt under her fingernails. She applied for and was awarded a scholarship to nursing school by Woman’s World magazine. She worked her way up to LPN charge nurse at the Anna Sundermann Home in Seward where she began as a geriatric aide, going to school while working, and graduated from Central Community College Platte Campus in Columbus with her Diploma in Practical Nursing in December 1985 and her Associate Degree in Health Occupations in May 1986. She was quite proud of this. She retired in 1997.
She had an immense love of her six children and five grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Reynold Hladky; son, Steven Barber; daughter, Rebecca Hladky; sisters and spouses: Evelyne (Gilbert) Anderson, Dorothy (Tom) Casteel and Lorraine Kral; and sisters-in-law Betty Tvrdy, Ellen Jiskra and JoAnn Hladky.
Those left to cherish her memory include four children and spouses, Geannine (Jon) Darby of Perry Hall, Maryland, Katherine (Gary) Ritter of Hill City, South Dakota, Julie Rickels of Lincoln, and John Hladky of Bee; five grandchildren and spouse, Matthew Honeycutt, Theresa (Ashley) Honeycutt, Nathan Rickels, Rachel Rickels and Benjamin Rickels; brothers-in-law and spouse: Edward (Marilyn) Hladky, Eugene Tvrdy and Alfred “Larry” Jiskra; 24 nieces and nephews; and one cousin.
No service is planned. Burial of her ashes will be at Atlanta Cemetery in Tobias. Memorial contributions are suggested to the American Cancer Society at cancer.org or by calling 800-227-2345.
