Ellie Frances “Prihoda” Havlik 94 of Angleton, Texas passed away Monday, January 20, 2020 in her own home in Angleton, Texas. She was born August 9, 1925 in her family’s farm house in Ellinger, Texas. She, and he twin brother Eddie, were the 6th and 7th children born to Vincent Prihoda and Amalie “Dirba” Prihoda. Eventually, five other children would be born after Eddie and Ellie. In 1927, at the age of two, she moved with her family to a recently purchased cotton farm in Damon, Texas. She spent her youth working on the family farm, picking cotton by hand. While she was in the field, she would travel up and down the cotton rows, while carrying a sack which routinely weighed between 80-100 pounds. After filling the cotton sack up, it would be dumped into a trailer and the process of picking by hand would start all over again. On a normal day, she would pick anywhere between 300-400 pounds of cotton in an exhausting all day process. It was here, while working in the cotton fields, where she developed her renowned work ethic.
Czech was the primary language spoken in her home, and because her first language was Czech, school was not easy for her. However, she persevered and while she was at school, she learned to speak English. She successfully completed the requirements for her High School diploma, and by doing so she became the first child in her family to graduate high school in 1944. After high school, she attended the Electronic Radio Television Institute in Omaha, Nebraska, where she earned certification from the institute.
In 1950, at the age of 24, she married Joe Havlik. They began their life together in a meager one room house in Clute, Texas. Several years later her beloved daughter Marilyn was born. She devoted twenty-four years of her life, while loyally working beside her husband in their garage-mechanic business, known as Havlik’s Garage and Auto Parts. Ellie acted as the official book-keeper/secretary as she maintained the financial records of their business. For some of the bigger jobs, involving transmissions and motors, she would actually help her husband with the repair work. She also drove into Houston to purchase the parts her husband needed to repair the cars. Due to their combined hard work, Ellie and her husband were able to create a thriving business with many loyal long-time customers.
After her divorce from her husband, she found herself without a job at the age of 48. She suddenly had to support herself, and her daughter Marilyn, and she was able to do that by finding a new career at Intermedics in Freeport, Texas. She worked as a clerk and group leader for 24 more years. Her bosses and co-workers thought very highly of her incredible work-ethic. Finally, at the age of 72 she retired from Intermedics.

At the age of 61, she generously adopted two of her orphaned nephews, and she loved them like they were her own children. At the time, her nephews were 9 and 10 years old. She helped raise them into adulthood. As they progressed in age, she was very proud of the fact they were both married with children, and both had successful careers.
Ellie was a devout Catholic woman, and she was a long-time parishioner at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Angleton. She was a member of K.J.Z.T. and the Catholic Daughters. She faithfully prayed her rosary on a daily basis, and she attended daily mass with her sister until they could no longer drive by themselves. She had a rich prayer life, and a close personal relationship with Jesus. She prayed every night for her deceased family members, and she prayed for living family members in need of her prayers.
Family was very important to Ellie. She was very close to her daughter Marilyn, and her grandchildren Vincent Kennedy and James Kennedy. She remained very close to many of her nieces and nephews as well. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 am, on Saturday, January 25, 2020 at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Angleton with Father David Zapalac officiating. A visitation and rosary will be held Friday evening, January 24, 2020, at Palms Funeral Home in Angleton from 5:00-7:00 pm with the rosary at 7:00 pm. Serving as pall-bearers will be Vincent Kennedy, James Kennedy, Shane Dines, Jacob Dines, Henry Dines, Michael Prihoda, Kenneth Rab, and Stephen Miculek. Ellie is survived by her brother Frank Prihoda; her grandsons, Vincent Kennedy, James Kennedy; her Great Grand-daughter, Ellie Joe Kennedy; and her nephews, Shane Dines and Jacob Dines. She is preceded in death by her beloved daughter Marilyn Kennedy Hurt, her parents Vincent and Amalie Prihoda, 10 brothers and sisters, Bill Prihoda, Jerry Prihoda, Vlasta Dines, Johnny Prihoda, Jim Prihoda, Emil Prihoda, Eddie Prihoda, Lillian Miculek, Bettie Rab, and Marie Svoboda.