Lois Jirikovec

Lois was the 9th of 12 children born to Josephine (Doyle) and Sylvester Runde on July 29, 1927 in Hazel Green, Wisconsin. She spent her early years growing up on a dairy farm with her family and graduated from Darlington High School in 1945. After graduating, she became a teacher and taught in a one-room schoolhouse. She married the love of her life, LeRoy Jirikovec, on June 20,1950 to whom she was happily married for 73 years. As the wife of a U.S. Naval officer, Lois spent her early years of marriage moving frequently until she and LeRoy made homes in Gainesville, Georgia for 9 years and ultimately settled in Nashville in 1966. Lois was a hard worker and spent the years from 1972-1998 working in retail at Castner-Knott Department Store.

Upon retirement, she and LeRoy traveled the world with friends and family, visiting every continent including Antarctica and Africa, which was her favorite. She was an avid reader, and she enjoyed nothing more than gardening on a hot summer day. She loved cooking, babysitting, and spending time on the golf course with LeRoy and her grandsons. Lois had a sharp mind and quick wit, even in her late 90s. Despite her age, she kept up with the latest news across all Nashville sports teams and her grandchildren’s universities, never missing a score or headline. She was a weekly volunteer at the Ladies of Charity.

Lois represented the best of the Greatest Generation with faith, family, and country being the three main tenets of her life. She and LeRoy were active parishioners of St. Henry Catholic Church, and flew an American flag outside their house every single day. Across all the joys in her life, her greatest joy was her five grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, who will all miss her dearly.

Lois is survived by her son Mark (Johanna) and daughter Jane (Brian) Swenson; her grandchildren Anna (Jameson) Norton, Jonathan Jirikovec, Brian (Theodora) Swenson, Jr., George (Julia) Swenson, and Anthony Swenson; and her great-grandchildren Jameson Norton, Claire Norton, Caroline Norton, and Athena Swenson. She is also survived by her sister Eileen Jones of Middleton, Wisconsin and brother-in-law Allan D. Jirikovec of Madison, Wisconsin as well as numerous beloved nieces and nephews.

The family wishes to thank the neighbors of Jocelyn Manor, Leslye Lapidus, Janet Phillips, the staff of the Craig Wound Clinic, Dr. Allen Lee, and Dr. Timothy Bush for their care and kindness throughout the years. The family also extends a special thanks to Athena Green, Michelle Turner, Crystal Wilson, Brittiney Wade, Eureka Phillips, and Alive Hospice for their loving assistance during recent weeks.

Visitation will be at 10:00 a.m. and a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, at St. Henry Catholic church. A Committal Service will be held at 1:00 p.m. at Middle Tennessee Veterans Cemetery, 7931 McCrory Lane, Nashville.