Milady Blaha Hejl

FUNERAL: 3:00 PM Saturday, November 29, 2014 at Laurel Land Funeral Home Chapel in Fort Worth.

Visitation: at Laurel Land, Saturday, 1:00 PM to 2:45 PM.

MEMORIALS: Memorial gifts may be made to University United Methodist Church, 2416 W. Berry St, Fort Worth, 76110 or to the Texas Czech Heritage & Cultural Center, P.O. Box 6, La Grange, TX 78945.

Milady was born in a farm house near Old Dime Box, Texas. She was the first of 11 children born to William Blaha and Albina Hejtmancik Blaha whose parents were immigrants from Moravia in what is now the Czech Republic. Milady spoke only Czech until she started the first grade at age seven in the nearby Hranice School but said she didn't remember having difficulty learning English. Until about 1950, Milady was a member of the Unity of the Czech-Moravian Brethren in Texas.

In 1932, Milady left farm life behind and enrolled in the Kings Daughters Hospital School of Nursing in Temple, Texas. Following nursing school graduation and post-graduate studies at Vanderbilt University, she embarked on an intermittent public health nursing career that culminated with her retirement from the City of Fort Worth Health Department in 1973 after 17 years of service. She was a clinic supervisor for many years prior to her retirement. Milady resided in Fort Worth from 1947 until 2008 when she moved close to her daughter's home in Cleburne. She and her husband Edmond were long-time active members of University United Methodist Church in Fort Worth and its Kum Duble Sunday School Class.

Milady developed a strong interest in her Czech heritage that was fueled by her brother Albert J. Blaha, Sr., founder of the Czech Heritage Society of Texas (CHS); and by Edmond H. Hejl, who was her husband for over 53 years and who was a noted genealogical researcher of Czech immigrants to Texas.

Following Edmond's death in 1991, Milady was a Trustee of the CHS for several years and afterwards served as its only Lifetime Honorary Trustee. Milady was also a strong financial supporter of the Texas Czech Heritage & Cultural Center (TCHCC) in La Grange and was a long-time member of the SPJST. Her Blaha grandparents were charter members of the SPJST in 1897.

In 1994, Milady completed "The Story of My Life," a lengthy autobiography that has been widely circulated among her many relatives and friends. Many of them reported that they couldn't put it down until they finished reading it.

Milady was preceded in death by her husband Edmond H. Hejl; by brothers Albert J. Blaha, Sr., John S. Blaha, Daniel W. Blaha, and William E. Blaha; and by sisters Hattie M. Schwierzke, Evelyn A. Wiederhold, Gladys M. Ricks, Flores Jean Blaha, and Grace Louise Blaha.

As the strong-willed but compassionate matriarch of a very large family, Milady's passing marks the end of an era. She will long be remembered by her surviving relatives and friends.

The family wishes to thank the staff of the Gardens at Chisholm Trail in Keene for taking good care of Milady for the past several years. Thanks also to Community Hospice for providing even more care during the past eight months.

SURVIVORS: Sons Charles M. (Mike) Hejl of Fort Worth and Robert A. (Bob) Hejl and wife Leah of Dallas; daughter Susan K. Hejl of Cleburne; grandsons Michael D. Hejl and wife Brigid of Hurst, Alan E. Hejl of Austin, and David Hejl and wife Jennifer of Houston; great-grandchildren Cory Hejl, Bryce Hejl, Nicholas Hejl, and Katherine Hejl; sister Dorothy Jean Davis and husband Waymond of Dime Box; sister-in-law Bethel Blaha of Dime Box; brother-in-law James L. Hejl of Little River-Academy; and many nieces and nephews.