AUBURN- Alena (Dvorakova) Slezak, 85, of Auburn, MA passed away from a long illness on Tuesday,October 11th, 2016 at Rose Monahan Hospice Home. She was a woman of strength and kindness, always selfless and humble, and brave to the very end. Our beloved “Babi” will be greatly missed.

Alena was born on December 20th, 1930 in the village of Brnicko, Czechoslovakia. She was raised by her father Frantisek and mother Agata (Kvapilova) Dvorak, with her brother, Frantisek Dvorak, and her sister, Eva (Dvorakova) Pelclova, both of whom still live in the Czech Republic. On October 4th, 1952, Alena married Jaroslav Slezak in her home town of Brnicko. Her son, Ivo, was born in 1954, followed by their daughter, Alenka, in 1958. She enjoyed being a mom and also worked as a childcare professional, traveling the country giving vaccinations to young children and caring for infants at a daycare center. Alena’s family of four fled from communist rule in Czechoslovakia and immigrated to the United States in 1969, residing in Auburn ever since.

Living through WWII as a teenager and starting life anew in the United States shaped Alena to be the strong yet modest, firm but loving, and thrifty yet giving woman she was. She worked as a seamstress at the Clara Barton Mill in Oxford, MA and then spent many years as a sales clerk at the Sears clothing department in Auburn. Alena was a woman of many talents, and she worked hard putting these talents to purposeful use. She cooked delicious Czech feasts, often from scratch, would knit and sew clothing for her family (and even doll clothes for her grandchildren), crocheted, baked, and was an avid gardener growing her own fruits and vegetables.

Above all, Alena loved her family. She was a loyal wife, devoted mother, and helped raise her four grandchildren. Alena taught the gift of the Czech language to her two oldest granddaughters. She also adored her two great granddaughters. Alena leaves her husband of 64 years, Jaroslav; her son Ivo Slezak of Hubbardston, MA and his companion, Brenda Letourneau; her daughter Alenka Slezak of Lexington, MA and her husband, Luka Serdar, Jr.; her granddaughter Petra McKown of Moss Beach, CA and her husband, Jeff McKown, and their two daughters Maya and Meara McKown; her granddaughter Emily Slezak of Hardwick, MA and her companion Jeff Harding; her grandson Luka Serdar of Washington, DC; and her granddaughter Lenka Serdar of Lexington, MA.

A memorial service will be held for Alena at 11:00am on Saturday, November 5th at Britton-Wallace Funeral Home, 91 Central Street, Auburn. Donations on Alena’s behalf can be made either to Central MA Hospice, 191 Pakachoag Street, Auburn, MA 01501 or to the Rose Monahan Hospice Home, 10 Judith Road, Worcester, MA 01602