Lillian (Sobola) Bednar

Lillian (Sobola) Bednar, 99, Roseville, Minn., died peacefully, Thursday, July 30, 2026, while in hospice care, at New Perspective Arden Hills in Minnesota.

Lillian was born April 11, 1927, in Chicago, Ill., and raised on the family dairy farm, near Cadott, where she milked cows by hand, before going to school.

She graduated from Cadott High School, in 1945.

Lillian married George Bednar, Dec. 18, 1948, and the two celebrated their 77th wedding anniversary, last year.

After raising her children, she worked at Montgomery Ward, Univac and Roseville Public Schools.

After retiring, she and George traveled the country, in their RV, visiting the Amana Colonies, Door County, many national parks, with their favorite, Big Bend, in Texas, and their yearly winter trip, to Tucson, Ariz.

She was a lover of music, her flower gardens were admired by her neighbors and she hosted our annual family Czech dinner, complete with sauerkraut and dumplings. She was a collector of recipes and cookbooks, a proud Democrat and Minnesota Twins fan.

Lillian was proud of her Czech heritage, spoke the Czech language, and she and her sister twice visited the Czech Republic.

She is survived by her husband – George; daughters – Marjorie Norling, Susan Brostrom and Wendy Bednar; granddaughters – Carolyn (Rory) Philstrom and Anna (Eric) Christen; and great-grandchildren – Edan and Josephine Philstrom, and Ella and Lucy Christen.

She was preceded in death by her parents – Oscar and Mary Sobola; sister – Georgiana Sobola; son – Brian Bednar; son-in-law – Dave Brostrom; and favorite dog – Wolfie.

It was her wish that no public service be held. Lillian will be interred in the Bohemian National Cemetery, in Cadott.

Memorials in her honor are preferred to: Merrick, Inc., 3210 Labore Rd., Vadnais Heights, MN 55110, at merrickinc. org, or the ZCBJ Lodge, 26054 135th Ave., Cadott, WI 54727. The ZCBJ Lodge is a fraternal organization for Czech immigrants, that Lillian and her family were involved in.

Thanks to the staff, at New Perspective Arden Hills and Brighton Hospice, for the excellent care she received.