Anne A. (Cerny) Soukenik

Anne A. Soukenik

Anne passed away July 5, 2023. Anne was the first child of Bohemian (Czechoslovakia) immigrants. Her parents, Ansonni and Antoine arrived at Ellis Island on January 18, 1921, traveling from Kladno, Bohemia. Anne was born less than 2 months later on March 10, 1921. Her parents moved to Cleveland, Ohio where they raised their three children, Anne and her two brothers Joseph P. Cerny (July 4, 1927) and Anthony (Anton) J. Cerny (July 22, 1931). They lived on Poe Avenue in Cleveland, and the house still stands today. Anne graduated from Lincoln High School in 1939. She married her husband James J. Soukenik in 1945 after his return from military service in World War II. They initially lived in a house on Poe Avenue next to her parents, later moving to Olmsted Falls where she has lived in the same house until recently. Anne and Jim had one daughter, Kathleen Murphy who recently passed away.

After moving to Olmsted Falls, Anne decided she needed to take up some type of activity because Olmsted Falls “was so far from everything”. She took an interest in ceramics and became very good and eventually turned the hobby into a business, teaching classes in the basement of their house. In the early 1970's, Jim passed away, leaving Anne by herself for the first time in her life. Unsure what to do, Anne was presented with an unexpected opportunity. She was offered a position by one of the major ceramic glaze companies to travel around the country teaching various ceramic technics at shows and conventions. She took the position and enjoyed traveling and meeting other hobbyist. She often recounted stories of how she would talk to truckers on her CB radio. She said the truckers were so helpful when she would get lost. Anne did this for many years until the traveling got to be too much. She retired to her home in Olmsted Falls, where she lived until just recently.

Anne was an active member of Olmsted Community Church, joining her faith family in January of 1955. For many years she sang in the choir and was a soloist. She served on the Chancel Committee and was involved in the spiritual life and growth of the church. Her love for children inspired her to make ceramic bells to hand out on Christmas Eve to all the children who attended services. She was honored during a Christmas Eve service in 2017 for over 50 years of bell making, a tradition that’s continued to this day. She will be missed by a grateful congregation.

Anne had a wonderful life and outlived her siblings and her daughter. She is survived by her sister-in-law, Nancy Cerny (Anthony) and her nieces and nephew, Darah Basam and Janet Thigpen and their children (Joseph & Dorothy) and Anthony Cerny and Terese Downing and their children (Anthony & Nancy).

A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 8, 2023 at Olmsted Community Church, 7853 Main Street, Olmsted Falls, Ohio 44138. Visitation from 11am – 1pm, and service at 1pm. A graveside service will be held at the Old Chestnut Grove Cemetery (Turkey Foot) . The family will be received afterwards with a reception in the Fellowship Hall of the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in honor of Anne’s memory to Olmsted Community Church.

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