Maria Antonia Cherny

September 28, 2014

Service Details

Antonia Cherny was embraced in Jesus’ loving arms, dying of natural causes in the early morning hours of Sunday, September 29. She was 90 years old.

Antonia was born in Dresden, Germany, on March 19, 1924, to a family of physicians and educators. She grew up during the Great Depression and World War Two. The family was involved in the Underground, and smuggled concentration camp escapees. When their activities were suspected, they were forced to leave Germany and escaped to Eastern Europe, to stay ahead of both the front and Allied bombing. The end of the war found her and the family in the free Western Zone of Germany, where Antonia worked for the UN Commission for Refugees. During this time her husband, Myroslaw Cherny attended Medical School at the University of Heidelberg.

Antonia and the family immigrated to the USA in August, 1950 under the Displaced Persons Act of 1948, and moved to the Humboldt Park area of Chicago under the sponsorship of the Ukrainian Fraternal Society. While her husband was an intern at Alexian Brothers Hospital, Chicago, Antonia lived with her parents and children and worked at a television manufacturing factory. In later life, Antonia was a homemaker and raised her children, paying attention to educate them in the arts and in the world of ideas. Antonia was a master gardener and lived a quiet and private life.

She is preceded in death by her husband, brother, parents, and friends. She is survived by son Eugene Cherny MD (Ruthann) of Des Moines, daughter Daria Cherny of New York City, nephew Ron Tesluk of Rockford, Illinois, and grandsons Joseph Cherny of Houston, Stephen Cherny of Los Angeles and Vincent Cherny of West Des Moines.

Services will be held at Christ the King Catholic Church, 5711 SW 9th Street, Des Moines, on Tuesday, October 7, 2014. Visitation is in the church sanctuary at 10 a.m., with Rosary at 10:45 a.m. The Funeral Mass begins at 11 a.m., celebrated by Msgr. F. Bognanno, with lunch afterwards in the Parish Hall.

Memorial contributions are suggested to Christ the King Church, and condolences may be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com.

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