Tony Lenart

Tony Lenart, 87, of Penelope passed away Sunday, April 21, 2013, in Waco. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 2 p.m. Thursday, April 25, at the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Penelope with the Rev. Anthony G. Rauschuber officiating. Burial will follow at St. Mary's Cemetery in West.

Anton "Tony" Edwin Lenart was born on Jan. 29, 1926, near the community of Hoen to Anton J. Lenart and wife, Emilie Jansky Lenart. They had three sons, two of whom, Ben and Edmond, died in childhood. Tony was their third and only surviving son. Born after Tony were his three sisters, Helen, Carrie, and Mary Jane.

He attended St. Martin's Catholic School in Tours as well as West High School. During World War II he served his country in the United States Army, serving in the South Pacific. He was a life member of DAV, VFW #4819 and American Legion #478.

In the mid 1940s, he met Irene Beseda at a dance and they were married on Oct. 26, 1948, in Penelope. They lived in Dallas for five years in the early 1950s, where he trained as a machinist. In 1956, the couple bought a farm on the outskirts of Penelope which was Irene's hometown. This is where they made their home and raised their family.

Tony worked as a machinist for 32 years. In his retirement years, he operated his own business grinding farm implement discs for farmers all over the Central Texas area. He enjoyed restoring antique tractors and built farm trailers as well as round bale haulers.

He was a life-long Catholic who faithfully led his family to church every Sunday without fail. For more than 40 years, he was a member of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary Catholic Church in Penelope and for the past three years had been a member of his childhood parish, St. Mary's Catholic Church of the Assumption in West.

He had a deep love for Czech music and polka dancing from his youth. His heart beat to a polka rhythm. He and Irene attended polka dances almost weekly during most of their marriage. They enjoyed traveling and made friends in many states while attending polka festivals throughout their 58 years of marriage. Tony faithfully visited Irene in the nursing home everyday for the three years before her death on Sept. 6, 2006.

Also preceding him in death were his parents.

Survivors include his four children, Charlotte Carter and husband, Rae, of Waco, Dennis Lenart and wife, Pam, of Chalk Bluff, JoAnn Kaluza and husband, Anton, of West, and Kenny Lenart and wife, Sharon, of Abbott; three sisters, Helen Rauschuber of West, and Carrie Dudik and Mary Jane Spaniel and husband, Joe, all of Ennis; 12 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; several close cousins; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Memorials may be made to West Rest Haven, 300 Haven, West, TX 76691 or to the charity of one's choice.

Condolences may be made to www.marshallandmarshallfd.com.

Marshall & Marshall Funeral Directors, 254-582-2581

January 29, 1926 - April 21, 2013

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