Anna Václava Hilmar (ová)

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Anna Vaclava Hilmar(ová), 81, on July 29, 2025. Our beloved Anicka was a remarkable woman whose bright smile and infectious laughter touched the lives of everyone she met.

Born on May 5, 1944, in Prague, Czechoslovakia, Anicka was the daughter of Vaclav Müller and Jirina Katerina Šimková. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother Vaclav Müller, and her sisters Jirina Müllerová and Marta Spevaková.

Anna's life was marked by extraordinary courage and determination. In 1968, at the age of 24, she and her husband Milan Hilmar made the brave decision to escape Czechoslovakia with their young daughter Kytka, seeking freedom and a better life in America. Their journey led them first to Mount Airy Lodge in the Pocono Mountains, where they began their American adventure on Christmas Eve, 1968.

Anna was a strong, determined, and fiercely independent woman who always put family first. Her greatest joy came from her role as a loving mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. She was a constant source of unconditional love, support, and encouragement to her family, standing firmly beside them through both life's victories and its challenges.

Beyond her family, Anna found fulfillment in her work. She loved running the Sun Island Motel, where she welcomed a close-knit community of snowbirds and fellow Czechs who returned year after year. Her heart was always with the elderly-caring for Fifi, Mary Frances, Dr. Mares, and many others. She was a steady advocate for their dignity, ensuring they received the respect and care they deserved at the end of their lives.

Known for her beautiful eyes and radiant smile that could light up any room, Anna taught those around her that beauty comes from within and shines through one's eyes and smile. She had an incredible gift for making people feel welcome and loved, appreciated, and cared for.

Anna's zest for life was evident in everything she did, approaching each day with childlike wonder and infectious joy. She loved to laugh until tears rolled down her face and she stomped her feet with delight. She would sing with her whole heart and lose herself in the magic of movies and theater. Her radiant, million-dollar smile could brighten any room, filling it with joy and warmth that drew people in like a magnet. For decades, her beautiful voice blended perfectly with her husband Milan's guitar, enchanting all who heard them. Friends and strangers alike would travel just to listen, and together they became the heart, soul, and spirit of every picnic and celebration.

She found happiness in life's simple pleasures-being surrounded by her children and grandchildren, cozy movie nights, savoring delicious Czech meals shared with loved ones, and embarking on spontaneous road trips filled with discovery. The occasional cruise or casino visit brought her excitement and a touch of adventure. Anna was an avid traveler whose soul came alive during her treasured visits to her beloved Prague, where she lovingly maintained deep connections with aunties, nieces, cousins, family members, and childhood friends, keeping the bonds of her homeland alive throughout her life. She cherished reconnecting with her Czech heritage at annual Potlachs, where lifelong friendships flourished and stories were shared.

Throughout her years in America, Anna held firm to her Czech heritage, maintaining traditions while embracing her new homeland. She instilled in her children and grandchildren a deep appreciation for their roots-sharing stories, songs, movies, cooking traditional foods, and ensuring the family's Czech culture would not be lost. She often said she felt caught between two worlds: she no longer belonged in the new Czech Republic, yet she didn't fully belong in America either. Still, Florida became her true home for the last 50 years of her life-a place where she built her family, her friendships, and her legacy.

Despite facing numerous health challenges over the last two decades of her life, Anna remained a true fighter and survivor. She courageously battled uterine cancer, endured several strokes, suffered through complications from spinal surgery, and faced multiple bone breaks and fractures including her arm, shoulder, and collarbone. Through radiation treatments, managing a fistula, countless blood transfusions, the indignity of medical devices, kidney failure, and recurring infections, Anna's spirit never wavered even as her body continuously failed her. She spent her final ten years living with unbearable pain, often praying for relief from her suffering, yet she continued to face each day with remarkable grace and determination. Her strength in the face of overwhelming physical adversity reflected her unbreakable will and became a quiet source of inspiration for her children and grandchildren who witnessed her courage.

Anna's legacy lives on in the boundless love she shared, the unwavering strength she demonstrated, and the beautiful example she set of embracing life to the fullest while always keeping family at the very center of everything. We are profoundly heartbroken, for she was the treasured heart and soul who lovingly held us all together.

Her memory will forever be cherished by all who knew her, and her beautiful smile and gentle spirit will remain in the hearts of everyone she touched. She had a way of making people laugh until their cheeks hurt, of telling stories that got a little taller with each retelling, and of turning even the simplest gathering into an unforgettable party. If you close your eyes, you can still hear her laughter - that unmistakable sound that said, life is meant to be enjoyed.

Anna is survived by her daughters, Kytka Ježek and Kati Samon; her beloved grandchildren - her one and only Broucek, Zachary Ježek, Zanna Ježek, Zynnia Ježek, Kaylyn Samon, and Kylee Samon; her former husband, Milan Hilmar, who remained the one and only love of her life; her cherished great-grandchildren, Annabel and Anastasia; her sons-in-law, Joel Samon and Pavel Ježek; her nieces and nephews, Vlasta Švadlenková, Milena Glennon, Ivona Kaislerová, Tom and David Hilmar, Sabrina Sepúlveda, Michael and Tommy Glennon; her best friend, Eva; and numerous other family members and friends in Florida, California, Prague and throughout the Czech Republic.

Now, as the final curtain gently falls on her remarkable life's performance, we find comfort in knowing she is joyfully reunited with the beloved family she missed and thought of every single day - Vašek, Marta, Jirina, Helenka, Vlásticek, Floydícek, and her cherished Maminka.

In keeping with Anna's wishes, she will be cremated and her ashes returned to the sea. To honor Anicka's life, raise a glass of good Czech beer over a hearty Czech meal, and send her a joyful "Na zdraví, Anicko!" as she toasts you right back from the other side.

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S velkým zármutkem oznamujeme úmrtí Anny Václavy Hilmarové, ve veku 81 let, dne 29. cervence 2025. Naše milovaná Anicka byla výjimecná žena, jejíž zárivý úsmev a nakažlivý smích se dotkly životu všech, kterí ji poznali.

Narodila se 5. kvetna 1944 v Praze, Ceskoslovensku, jako dcera Václava Müllera a Jiriny Kateriny Šimkové. Predcházeli ji na vecnost její rodice, bratr Václav Müller a sestry Jirina Müllerová a Marta Špeváková.

Aniccin život byl provázen mimorádnou odvahou a odhodláním. V roce 1968, ve veku pouhých 24 let, se spolu s manželem Milanem Hilmarem rozhodli pro odvážný krok – uprchnout z Ceskoslovenska se svou malou dcerou Kvetuškou, aby našli svobodu a lepší život v Americe. Jejich cesta vedla nejprve do Mount Airy Lodge v pohorí Pocono, kde zacali svuj americký príbeh na Štedrý vecer roku 1968.

Byla silná, rozhodná a nesmírne samostatná žena, pro kterou byla rodina vždy na prvním míste. Nejvetší radost jí prinášela role milující matky, babicky a prababicky. Byla neustálým zdrojem bezpodmínecné lásky, podpory a povzbuzení, stála po boku svých blízkých v radostech i v težkých chvílích.

Mimo svou rodinu našla naplnení i v práci. Milovala provozování Sun Island Motelu, kde vítala stálou komunitu „snowbirdu" a krajanu, kterí se vraceli rok co rok. Její srdce patrilo vždy starším lidem – pecovala o Fifi, Mary Frances, Dr. Mareše a mnoho dalších. Byla jejich zastáncem a dbala na to, aby i na sklonku života dostávali úctu a péci, kterou si zasloužili.

Byla známá svýma krásnýma ocima a zárivým úsmevem, který dokázal rozjasnit každou místnost. Ucila své okolí, že skutecná krása vychází zevnitr a zárí ocima a úsmevem. Mela dar, díky kterému se lidé cítili vítaní, milovaní a cenení.

Aniccina radost ze života se projevovala ve všem, co delala – každý den prijímala s detskou zvedavostí a nakažlivou energií. Smála se, až jí tekly slzy, a dupala nohama radostí. Zpívala z celého srdce a nechávala se unášet kouzlem filmu a divadla. Její milionový úsmev dokázal místnost zaplavit teplem a radostí. Po celá desetiletí její krásný hlas ladil s Milanovou kytarou a dohromady uchvacovaly všechny, kdo je slyšeli. Byli duší a srdcem každého pikniku a oslavy.

Radost nacházela v jednoduchých vecech – být obklopena detmi a vnoucaty, spolecné filmové vecery, vychutnávání dobrého ceského jídla s blízkými nebo spontánní cesty plné objevu. Obcasná plavba na lodi nebo návšteva kasina jí dodávala vzrušení a špetku dobrodružství. Byla vášnivou cestovatelkou a její duše ožívala pri milovaných návštevách rodné Prahy, kde udržovala hluboké vztahy s tetickami, neteremi, bratranci, sestrenicemi a práteli z detství. Milovala i setkání krajanu na každorocních potlachech, kde se utužovala prátelství a sdílely príbehy.

Po celou dobu života v Americe si pevne uchovávala ceské tradice a zároven prijímala novou vlast. Vštepovala detem a vnoucatum hrdost na jejich koreny – vyprávela jim príbehy, ucila je písne, pouštela ceské filmy, varila tradicní jídla a dbala, aby ceská kultura v rodine nezanikla. Casto ríkala, že se cítí mezi dvema svety – už nepatrí do nového Ceska, ale ani úplne do Ameriky. Presto se Florida stala jejím skutecným domovem na posledních 50 let – místem, kde vybudovala rodinu, prátelství a svuj odkaz.

Navzdory mnoha zdravotním problémum v posledních dvaceti letech zustala skutecnou bojovnicí. Statecne celila rakovine delohy, nekolika mrtvicím, komplikacím po operaci pátere, cetným zlomeninám paže, ramene i klícní kosti. Podstoupila ozarování, snášela následky píštele, nescetné krevní transfuze, selhání ledvin, opakované infekce i trvalou bolest, která ji provázela posledních deset let života. Casto se modlila za úlevu, ale každý den celila s neuveritelnou dustojností a odhodláním. Její síla navzdory fyzickému utrpení byla tichou inspirací pro deti a vnoucata.

Odkaz Anicky žije dál v bezmezné lásce, kterou rozdávala, v neochvejné síle, kterou prokazovala, a v krásném príkladu, jak žít naplno a rodinu stavet vždy na první místo. Naše srdce jsou zlomená, protože odešla žena, která byla srdcem a duší celé rodiny.

Na její krásný úsmev a laskavou duši budou všichni, kdo ji znali, vzpomínat navždy. Dokázala rozesmát lidi až k slzám, vyprávet historky, které s každým dalším vyprávením trochu „povyrostly", a promenit i obycejné setkání v nezapomenutelnou oslavu. Když zavrete oci, možná ješte uslyšíte její smích – ten nezamenitelný zvuk, který ríkal: život je tu od toho, aby se žil naplno.

Po Anicce zustávají dcery Kytka Ježek a Kati Samon; milovaná vnoucata – její jediný Broucek Zachary Ježek, Zanna Ježek, Zynnia Ježek, Kaylyn Samon a Kylee Samon; její bývalý manžel Milan Hilmar, který zustal jedinou láskou jejího života; zbožnované pravnucky Annabel a Anastasia; zetové Joel Samon a Pavel Ježek; netere a synovci Vlasta Švadlenková, Milena Glennon, Ivona Kaislerová, Tom a David Hilmar, Sabrina Sepúlveda, Michael a Tommy Glennon; nejlepší prítelkyne Eva; a cetní další príbuzní a prátelé na Floride, v Kalifornii, Praze a po celé Ceské republice.

A nyní, když se nad jejím pozoruhodným životním predstavením pomalu spouští poslední opona, nacházíme útechu v predstave, že se radostne setkala s milovanými, po nichž se jí stýskalo každý den – s Vaškem, Martou, Jirinou, Helenkou, Vlástickem, Floydíckem a svou drahou Maminkou.

Podle jejího prání bude zpopelnena a její popel bude vrácen mori. Na památku Anicky pozvednete sklenici dobrého ceského piva nad vydatným ceským jídlem a pošlete jí radostné: „Na zdraví, Anicko!", protože ona vám z druhého brehu pripije zpet.