Mr. Fred J. Straka Obituary - Visitation & Funeral Information

Fred Straka Family Background: 1. Fred was the son of Czechoslovakian immigrants, Joseph & Mary Straka. Fred was the second son of Mary & Joseph, and like his brother, Willie, was born in Robertsdale, AL, at home on the family’s farm. Fred was blessed with 90 years on this earth, and as a successful family man and businessman, Fred’s life proved to be the fulfillment of his immigrant parent’s dream for a better life in America. 2. Fred’s marriage to his lovely wife Ruth in 1955 was the start of a lifelong romance which each felt in their hearts was ordained by God. 3. The Lord blessed Fred and Ruth with 3 daughters, Kathryn, Lisa, and Dorie, and one granddaughter, Nicole. All of whom share Fred’s & Ruth’s love of family, laughter, adventure, and good food. 4. Fred started his own business of long haul trucking in 1947. Then in 1962, Fred and Ruth opened a truck brokerage business brokering loads for independent truckers. Straka Trucking was a respected and profitable truck brokerage for 34 years. All combined, Fred’s career in trucking spanned almost 50 years. 5. Fred & Ruth retired in 1996, and have enjoyed spending their time with family, friends and traveling. Lessons Fred Learned: 1. Bigger Is Not Always Better: Fred’s first load as a long haul trucker was a load of cabbages going to St. Louis, MO. Fred had brokered the deal with the farmer himself. The farmer who sold Fred the cabbages told Fred that he could load up his truck with any of the cabbages in the farmer’s field for the price agreed upon. Fred, thinking that he had struck a pretty smart deal, commenced to load his truck with all the biggest cabbages. But when he got to St. Louis, Fred learned that it was not the biggest cabbages that were in demand, but rather the smallest cabbages. Fred ended up having to sell his load of the biggest cabbages from the farmer’s field for pennies on the dollar. And that’s how Fred learned that “Bigger is not always better.” 2. The best things in life are worth waiting for: The first time Fred and Ruth noticed each other, Fred was 18 years old and Ruth was only 13 years old. Ruth’s stepdad let Fred know, in no uncertain terms, that Ruth would not be allowed to date until she was 16. As fate would have it, 8 years passed before Fred got the opportunity to ask Ruth out for a date. And that is how Fred learned that the best things in life are worth waiting for. 3. A good joke brings laugher, not tears: After lunch on the date Fred and Ruth eloped, Sept 17, 1955, Fred drove Ruth to the courthouse to get the marriage license. Leaving Ruth in the car while he went to see what time the courthouse reopened after the lunch hour, Fred decided it would be funny to play a joke on Ruth and tell her that the courthouse was closed for the rest of the day. But the joke was on Fred when, upon delivering his “news” that they couldn’t get married “because the courthouse was closed”, Ruth burst into tears. That’s how Fred learned that a good joke is one that brings laugher, not tears. Things Fred Loved: 1. Making a life with Ruth. 2. Holiday Get-togethers 3. Family Vacations. 4. A hot cup of fresh coffee. 5. Alabama Football. 6. Chicken-n-Dumplings. 7. Socializing uptown at the Post Office. 8. Chocolate Covered Cherries. 9. Buying a car from Joe Bullard with nothing but a phone call. 10. Apple Pie. 11. Making People Laugh. 12. Peanut Butter Crackers. 13. Looking for the Good in People. 14. Czech Kolache Pastry. 15. The free cup of coffee up at the Winn Dixie. Fred’s Favorite Scriptures: John 14:6 Psalms 100 Proverbs 3:5-6 Zephaniah 3.17

Mr. Fred J. Straka

October 2, 1928 - March 30, 2019