Marta Kolias' Obituary
MARTA KOLIAS August 8th 1935 – February 17th 2016 Marta was born in Moravia part of Czechoslovakia just before WW II from which her father never returned. The life with sister Olga and later also Dobruska for their mother was not easy then. Marta showed a lot of strength to go through high school and further studies to become a professional photographer, at which profession she did not work for too long, though. After meeting her future husband for 58 years Mirek, she moved to Bohemia where their only child, daughter Milena, was born in 1960. Life in the Communist Czechoslovakia was not an easy one, so when the Soviet army occupied Czechoslovakia, they all managed to leave for Austria and after seven month of uncertainty in a refugee camp there, they all came to California in September of 1969. Even without speaking English and being practically penniless, they started a new life together in which Marta was the leading part. In 1974 they all became US citizens. Marta made many very good friends here, raised Milena to be a smart and beautiful lady who married a young starting businessman Tony Rago. Marta was always the main pillar, the guiding light to Milena and her two children, who lovingly called Marta by the Czech expression for Grandma – Babi. When retiring, Marta loved to travel, even across the US and back in 42 days with Mirek. They lived a happy, loving life just to about a month ago, when the sudden and unexpected disease struck. After a very long and difficult surgery Marta fought hard for almost two weeks, but her heart did not co-operate, and with Mirek, Milena and Tony beside her, she died in the hospital. She will be dearly missed by her extended family and many friends close and afar…… We will say good-bye to Marta at the Mission Chapel of the Chapel of the Chimes Mortuary in Hayward on Thursday, February the 25th at 10 AM. Marta’s wish was for instead of flowers to donate to St. Jude’s Hospital.
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