Nicholas Chris Hvezda, 82, of Poplar Grove, IL, died peacefully, October 20, 2021, in Poplar Grove, IL.

He was born on Christmas Day, December 25, 1938, to Reuben and Elsie (Erickson) Hvezda in Starbuck, Minnesota. He attended a one-room school house with his siblings and worked on the family farm in Alexandria. Nicholas graduated high school and ventured away from farm life by entering the Pipefitter trade with a Journeyman degree and certification from Penn State University while he worked for Grinnell.Nicholas married his sweetheart, Lottie Marie Shockley on November 23, 1961, in Calvert City, Kentucky. On a short honeymoon, he got his greetings from Uncle Sam; he was drafted into theArmy where he was stationed in Oklahoma and ultimately in Korea working with the missile program and training as a skilled sharpshooter. On his return home as his ship sailed under the Golden Gate Bridge, he heard that JFK had been assassinated. He was quickly reunited with his family settling in Belvidere to work at Chrysler for decades until his retirement in 1997. He was a handy man around the house always fixing to make it a beautiful home for his family whom he loved dearly. He bowled and loved fishing, downhill skiing and playing cards. He also had a great appreciation for music of various genres and artists. He enjoyed listening to his daughter and grandson, John, play the piano and guitar while singing some of his favorites. Guiding his life in the most valuable ways, he read the Bible daily and took time in studying scripture deeply often teaching his family at home and his Christian brothers and sisters at church. Through his faith, he learned how to live and treat his fellow man with dignity.

Nicholas is loved and will be missed by his wife, Lottie; son, Chris Hvezda; daughter, Christine (Phil) Babcock; siblings, Ivy Hills, Jon Hvezda, Karolyn Doherty, Reed Hvezda and Sandra Schmidt; grandchildren, Erik Hvezda, Kristen Wright, Kaylee Richmond, Korissa Hvezda, John Hvezda, Jacob Babcock, and Christine Star Wundrow; and great grandchildren, Juliana Wright and Nicholas Hvezda.

He is preceded in death by his parents; brothers, Ron and Tom Hvezda; and sister Kay.

Services and burial private. In Nicholas's honor, memorials can be given to the Belvidere Church of Christ. To share a memory, please visitwww.AndersonFCS.com.