Obituary - Posted: 3/14/07
Zada Koblas
Zada Koblas, 91, daughter of Roy and Emma Simning, died February 25, 2007, at the Minnesota Masonic Home in Bloomington. She graduated from West High School in 1932 and worked for Commercial Gas for several years before becoming a homemaker.
She graduated cum laude with a degree in geography from the University of Minnesota in 1961. She continued her education while she taught social studies and English at Northeast, Jefferson and Anwatin Junior High Schools, obtaining a Masterís degree in 1972.
She served as President of the Minnesota Council on Social Studies 1976-78 and was the geography consultant for Holt, Rinehart & Winstonís 1978 textbook People and Our Country.
She was active in the Democratic Party, and at one time served as a delegate to the State Convention.
When she moved to southeastern Minnesota, she was a member of the La Crosse Unitarian-Universalist Fellowship.
Koblas retired to a small farm near Spring Grove and was active in many Spring Grove organziations. Ye Olde Opera, Syttende Mai, and the Spring Grove summer musical.
An educator to the end, Zada donated her body to the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Department of Anatomy.
Koblas is survived by her six children: Dr. Paul (Joan) Koblas; Claudia (Robert) Blake; Ben (fka John) Mahuíike; George (Linda) Koblas; Keren Ohr (fka Janet) (Alan) Levine; and James Koblas; 12 grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren; and two great-great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents and her sister, Ruth Simning DeRum.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on April 14, 2007, at First Universalist Church, 3400 Dupont Ave S., Minneapolis.
A memorial reception will be held in her honor on Monday, April 16, from 2-4 p.m. in the Conference Room of the Communications Building on Main Street in Spring Grove.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to the Spring Grove Public Library Memorial Fund, PO Box 156, Spring Grove, MN 55974.
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