REV. FILIPI GONE—BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
Friday forenoon, one of the largest gatherings of friends assembled at the New Zion church to pay their respects to Rev. B. A. Filipi, the beloved minister who served the local Presbyterian congregation for thirty-eight years. The spacious edifice, built under the direction of Rev. Filipi was not sufficiently large to permit the large number to enter and loud speakers were installed in the dining parlor of the church and outside to enable the friends of the departed minister to hear the services and the eulogy presented by the deceased’s brother, Rev. Milo Filipi of Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Rev. Filipi was called to his eternal reward on October 21, ’52 at an Omaha hospital, where he was confined for several weeks. He died as he had lived—quietly, at peace with all the world leaving behind him that light that comes from an upright, earnest life as the sun at setting leaves a trail of consoling light behind it on the horizon’s rim.
The remains were brought to Clarkson by Chas. J. Novotny, in whose funeral home, the body laid in state, until the services, Friday morning. Burial was in the Clarkson cemetery.
The active pallbearers were Henry Hamernik, John Herling, R. F. Rosicky, Frank Cerny, John Mastny and Emil A. Nykodem. The rest of the church elders and trustees were honorary pallbearers.
During services all business houses in Clarkson were closed in respect to the daparted one.
In his obituary we are repeating part of the deceased’s biography as was published following his farewell sermon on Sunday, Febr. 3rd, 1952.
Rev. Bohdan A. Filipi, was born on July 4, 1880, in a village near Prague, Czechoslovakia and at the age of nineteen came to America. It was his desire to carry the word of God to the people and he enrolled in Union Seminary at New York City, in 1899, where he attended for a year. He then preached as a student in Valley county, Nebraska, where services were held in a sod house. In 1902 he he was ordained at the Western Seminary at Pittsburg, Pa., being the youngest Presbyterian minister in United States, at the age of 22 yrs.
While in Pittsburg, Pa., he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Sedlak, and they made their home in Pittsburg, while Mr Filipi held a pastorate in that city.
After serving the pastorate at Pittsburg for about two years, Reverend and his wife moved to Omaha, where he served the Czech Presbyterian church for ten years, before coming to Clarkson, with his family in 1914.
While here he enjoyed the growth of his congregation from a small gathering to over 500 today. The lovely brick edifice in which he served was erected in 1922–23. In the 50 years of Ministry, the Rev. Filipi has performed 802 baptisms and 344 weddings, 270 of them in Clarkson. He has been called all over the state to conduct Bohemian funerals. He also delivered addresses for various occasions.
During his residence in Clarkson, Rev. Filipi took considerable interests in civic affiars. He served as member of the local board of education, was an active member of the Commercial Club, assisted with the Boy Scouts when they were organized here, and in politics was affiliated with the Republican party. He also served as secretary of the local ZCBJ lodge for several years, and was quite active in the fraternal order. Was also a member of the Masonic group.
His survivors are, his wife, Mrs. Filipi, two sons, Theodore A. Filipi, of Lincoln, a member of the State Health Dept. and Paul Filipi, employed as an engineer in Omaha, and two daughters, Lillian, Mrs. Frank L. Hildreth of Des Moines, Ia., and Alice, Mrs. Bruce Luttich of Ohiowa. Five grandchildren also survive.
Mrs. Filip for the present will make her home with Mr. and Mrs. Hildreth at Des Moines.
We extend the bereaved family our sincere condolence.
