Dates

• Existence: 1909 - 1983

Biography

Josephine Letovsky was born on June 5, 1909 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. A 1927 graduate of Washington High School in Cedar Rapids, Josephine Letovsky married Edward R. Kuba, Sr. on May 29, 1934. They had two sons, Edward R. Kuba, Jr. and John A. Kuba. Josephine and Edward R. Kuba, Sr., co-founded the Kuba Funeral Homes. Josephine Kuba died on May 6, 1983.

Josephine Kuba devoted much of her life to civic and volunteer service. She was a member of St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Cedar Rapids, Lodge 262 of the Western Fraternal Life Association, and organized the "Candy Stripers" as president of the Mercy Hospital Auxiliary. Kuba was also a member of Praha Rebekah Lodge No. 5, Daughter of Isabella Circle 534, Czech Heritage Foundation, Federation of Czech Groups, and a life member of the Linn County Historical Museum Association. In 1933 Kuba organized the Z.C. B.J. Girls Drill Team and served as captain for twenty years. Kuba also served as the Iowa Department Woman's Relief Corps Veterans Administration Volunteer Service representative to the Iowa City Veterans Administration Hospital for many years. She was one of the first "Ladies in Blue" when the hospital was commissioned in 1952 and contributed 6500 hours of volunteer service. Much of Josephine Kuba's volunteer work centered on her involvement in the Woman's Relief Corps, the auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic. Kuba was past Department of Iowa president and past national president of the organization. She had also served as national secretary, national patriotic instructor, national senior aide, national counselor, and at the time of her death was the representative on the National Veterans Administration Volunteer Service Board.

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