Henrietta M. Waner

Henrietta Mary Waner, the daughter of Joseph and Mary (Oborny) Stika, was born November 7, 1933, in rural Marion, Kansas.  She was the fourth child born to this union which included two sons and two daughters, Victoria, Louis, Valarian and Henrietta.  Henrietta was baptized at St. John’s Nepomucene Church in Pilsen Kansas and this is where she received her first communion from Fr. Kapaun.

 Henrietta attended school in the Youngtown Community until she finished the eighth grade.   

Henrietta met Vernon Waner at a cakewalk at the Youngtown School when he asked her to walk with him.  Vernon took Henrietta home from that cakewalk in his 1949 Chevrolet pickup.  This began a courtship which lasted one year until Vernon and Henrietta got married. Henrietta’s parents had told her that she could not marry Vernon until she was 18 years old.  One week to the date after her 18th birthday Vernon and Henrietta married (November 14, 1951).  They were married at St. John’s Nepomucene Church in Pilsen because St. Mark’s in Marion was still under construction. Upon completion, St. Mark’s became their family church and Henrietta was active in the Altar’s Society until her death. Vernon and Henrietta waltzed and polka danced hand in hand through life at the Starlight Ballroom in Pilsen, Kansas, and at the Antelope Club in Antelope, Kansas, over the 63 years of their marriage.

Vernon and Henrietta made their first home in District 22, Grant Township, southeast of Marion.  During this time their first two children, David and Carol, were born.  In 1960, they moved to the Youngtown area northeast of Marion where they rented Henrietta’s childhood home from her parents. During this time their third and fourth children, Darrell and Mike, were born.  In May of 1969, Vernon and Henrietta bought their house in town. It was here where they completed their family with their fifth child, Steve. 

Henrietta took great pride in providing for her family as a homemaker.  She enjoyed cooking and was known throughout the town for her baked goods, selling cinnamon rolls and kolaches to eager customers throughout Marion.  Henrietta often sent treats home with her family that reflected her Czech heritage.  When Vernon and Henrietta moved to town, she babysat local children to help bring in income to the family.  Henrietta became a cook at

the Marion Elementary School with her sister – in – law Irma Waner in 1975.  In 1977, Henrietta started cooking at the Marion Senior Center.  Henrietta tried to retire several times from the senior center and for a time cooked baked goods at The Owl Car Café which her son Dave and daughter –in-law Tena owned, but she always went back to cook at the senior center when called upon.  She finally retired for good in 2011.  After retirement she volunteered at the St. Luke Auxiliary Shop, a job which she really enjoyed.

Henrietta also took great pride in her flowers.  She possessed two green thumbs and was able to nurse plants back to life long after others had given up on them.  Her yard was a great source of pride. Much to Vernon’s dismay, she would have him carry over 200 pots around the yard every spring so she could plant flowers in them, only to turn around in the fall and carry them right back to their winter resting place. Each year her yard was bursting with colorful flowers that would rival any formal garden. 

Henrietta’s biggest source of pride and joy, however, were her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren, attending almost all ball games, track meets, dance recitals and music programs until her health prevented her from doing so. 

Henrietta deeply enjoyed her relationship with Our Lord. She spent many hours reciting her rosary and was very strong in her Catholic faith. Henrietta passed into the arms of our Lord on July 27th, 2015 at St. Luke Hospital in Marion. While her family mourns her passing, we are comforted to know that she is in God’s hands and we will see her again someday.

Henrietta was preceded in death by her parents and her brother, Valarian Stika. She is survived by her husband, Vernon, her children, David and Tena Waner of Marion, Carol and Craig Leppke of Hillsboro, Darrell and Holly Waner of Derby, Mike and Tina Waner of McPherson, and Steve and Traci Waner of Marion, nine grandchildren, four great-grandchildren ; Kaden and Kinsey Kleiner and Haylie and Abbie Waner, her brother Louis  Stika and his wife Sarah, and her sister, Victoria Smolik, Sister in law Delores Stika and Sister in law Wanda Waner, numerous nieces and nephews and a host of friends.