Celeste Mae Kobliska

Celeste Mae Kobliska, age 86, of Arlington, VA and formerly of Alta Vista, IA died on Sunday, February 17, 2013 at her home. Celeste was born July 19, 1926, in Deerfield, Iowa, to Joseph and Anna (Smith) Kobliska. A long-time Arlington resident, Celeste was the co-founder and president of WOI, Inc., a shared tenant facilities office rental business that operated in Washington, D.C. Prior to that, she worked as an office manager at the Watergate. Before coming to the Washington area, she lived and worked in Minneapolis, Houston and Cedar Rapids, Iowa. An intrepid traveler throughout her life, she enjoyed numerous trips to destinations in Mexico, Europe, Asia, North Africa, Australia and around the United States, and once emerged from retirement to pursue two of her favorite activities—business and foreign travel—by spending several months managing an office in Hong Kong. She also enjoyed spending time with and sharing in the activities of her 'adopted grandchildren,' grandnephews Christopher and Andrew Piemonte of Arlington. Celeste is survived by one sister Marie Galligan of Waterloo, Iowa; and brothers, Walter Kobliska of Charles City, Iowa; and Kenneth Kobliska of Minneapolis, Minn. Aunt of nieces Mary Kay Piemonte, Arlington, Va.; Denise Streich, Charles City, Iowa; Marge Loes, Mason City, Iowa and Sheryl Ostlund, Des Moines, Iowa; nephews Don Galligan, Anaheim., Calif.; Joseph Galligan, Brea, Calif.; Daniel Kobliska, New Hampton, Iowa; Joseph Kobliska, Albuquerque, N.M, James Kobliska, Alta Vista, Iowa; Steven Kobliska, Alta Vista, Iowa; Michael Kobliska, Moville, Iowa; and David Kobliska, Cedar Falls, Iowa. She was the great-aunt of many grandnieces and grandnephews, whose lives and careers she took great pleasure in following through the hundreds of photos displayed in her kitchen 'office.' She was preceded in death by her parents, brother Leo Kobliska and nephew Dennis Tolliver. Cemetery: Burial will be in St. Patrick's Cemetery at St. Cecelia. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30am on Monday, February 25, 2013 at Immaculate Conception Church in Elma with Fr. Steve Garner celebrating. Visitation will be on Sunday, February 24, 2013 from 4-7pm with a rosary at 4:30pm at Conway-Markham Funeral Home in Elma. Visitation will continue at the funeral home one hour prior to the service on Monday. Memorials may be directed to the family.