[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 204 (Tuesday, December 19, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2415]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       IN HONOR OF DAISY VONDRAK

                                 ______


                        HON. WILLIAM O. LIPINSKI

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, December 19, 1995

  Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor a fine resident of 
the Third Congressional District who passed away on Sunday, December 
17, 1996. Mrs. Daisy Vondrak, 80, a resident of the Chicago Lawn 
neighborhood, died on Sunday in the Brentwood Nursing Center in 
Burbank, IL.
  Mrs. Daisy Vondrak was the cofounder of Vondrak Publications. For 
almost 40 years, she coowned and operated with her husband, Edward, the 
Southwest News Herald and four other local community newspapers. Mrs. 
Vondrak handled the bookkeeping and finances of the newspaper, while 
her husband was in charge of the editorial operation. She watched the 
books closely; her attention to detail and strong work ethic pulled 
both the couple and the newspaper through many tough times.
  During the Depression, Mrs. Vondrak and her husband purchased a small 
paper, the Gage Park Herald, that primarily provided neighborhood news 
to servicemen away from home. Deciding to broaden their publishing 
efforts in 1946, they attempted to purchase the Southwest News. Her 
husband was then an editor for the Life newspapers. They had to borrow 
all they could from friends and relatives and neighbors. It was a big 
chance for two young adults to take but they did it. Mr. and Mrs. 
Vondrak started out with just the two of them and ended up with 52 
employees. The Vondraks retired in 1987 and initiated a humorous 
publication, the Chuckle Town Times.
  The weekly newspapers the Vondraks copublished covered such southwest 
side communities as Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, Clearing, and Marquette 
Manor and the suburbs of Oak Lawn, Evergreen Park, Justice, Bridgeview, 
and Hickory Hills. The newspapers provide both national and 
neighborhood news to their subscribers. By faithfully watching the 
books and taking care of business, Mrs. Vondrak guaranteed that her 
neighbors would know what was going on around them in the community, 
the Nation, and the world. She provided a wonderful community service 
and will be sorely missed.
  I first met Mrs. Vondrak in 1959, when I worked as the physical 
education instructor at Marquette Park. Every Monday night, I would 
submit stories to her or her husband Ed about activities at the park 
that would appear in the Thursday edition of the Southwest News Herald. 
I knew her personally and saw each week how dedicated she was to 
keeping the local publications up and running.
  Mrs. Vondrak is survived by her two sons, James and Edward, a sister, 
a brother, and six grandchildren. I would like my colleagues to join me 
in offering sincere condolences to Mrs. Daisy Vondrak's family. She was 
a hard worker and strong businesswoman who will be missed by the entire 
community.

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