Lidka Burian

BURIAN, LIDKA (nee Troup) was born on March 8, 1924, at the train station of Hluboka, Czechoslovakia, where her father served as the train superintendent. Lidmila attended the grade school in the town of Horovice for five years after her family moved there in 1926. She later attended the gymnasium in the town of Beroun for four years, followed by two years of study at the School of Graphics in Prague where she concentrated on the study and practice of drawing. When she was 17 years old, Lidmila took the entrance examination for the Art Academy of Charles University in Prague. After acceptance into the Academy, she studied art under Antonin Strnadel until 1947. In March of 1947, Lidmila moved to Paris to study art under the painters Andre Lhote and Fwernand Leger. She eventually received certification from these artists and was granted a Masters Degree in Art from the Academy. In 1949, while still in Paris, she arranged an exhibition of her work with Svatopluk Sulek. This exhibition proved to be very successful. After being advised by her brother, Antonin, not to return to Czechoslovakia because of the oppression of the Communist regime, Lidmila decided to immigrate to the United States with Antonin and his wife. She moved to Germany in 1950 and lived in the refugee camps at Ludwigsburg and Augsburg for six months. Although her two brothers, Antonin and Bozetech, had already taken up residence in the United States by the end of her first month in Germany, Lidmila couldn't follow them because the quota for immigration to the United States had already been filled for that year. Consequently, she applied for immigration to Canada and was granted the privilege, but only after she agreed to work as a domestic servant in that country for two years. Lidmila traveled from Bremen, Germany, to Canada by army transport. After a week, she arrived in Halifax and immediately took a train to Montreal. It was there she entered the service of Jean Querton, the Belgian Consul to Canada. Lidmila considered it fortunate to be in the employ of this French speaking man and his family since she didn't know English, but could speak French fluently. In 1952 Consul Querton was recalled to Belgium, and since Lidmila had completed her two years of service, he arranged for her to move to Clinton, Iowa, where her brother, Antonin, was working for certification as a doctor in the United States. She and Consul Querton left Canada the same day. After living in Clinton for two months, Lidmila's brother Bozetech, asked her to move to St. Louis, Missouri with him. She agreed and made her new home in St. Louis. On the way to St. Louis, Lidmila was introduced to her future husband, John Burian, who was also a native of Czechoslovakia. John was from Ostopovic and had studied social studies at the Masaryk University in Brno. Because of the unrest in Czechoslovakia, John had left the country with only a semester of studies remaining before graduation. Had he completed his studies, he could have become a professor of history, geology and philosophy. John and Lidmila was married in 1953. Subsequent to learning Engish, both John and Lidmila worked at low-level jobs in St. Louis. For a time, Lidmila worked as a teacher at a private art school in St. Louis. Unfortunately, the school closed after a short time due to a lack of funding. The couple experienced a tragedy in 1957 when Lidmila's daughter was stillborn. She is buried in St. Louis. Lidmila worked as a sales person at one of the local Famous and Barr department stores until she retired in 1986. Up to the time of retirement, Lidmila didn't devote much time to painting due to the demands of a full time job. She painted occasionally, for her own pleasure, but lacked the time and energy to paint regularly and consistently. That situation changed dramatically after retirement. After that point in her life, Lidmila began to paint every day and now has a large portfolio. Sadly, her husband John died in 1987 after being happily married for 33 years. After suffering a major heart attack, Lidmila passed from this life on July 29, 2013, at St. Anthony's Hospital in St. Louis. She was 89 years old. Lidmila was preceded in death by her husband, John and infant daughter. She is survived by many nephews, nieces and friends. Visitation on Tuesday, July 30, 2013 from 4 -8 PM at John L. Ziegenhein & Sons, 7027 Gravois, 314-352-2600 www.ziegenheinfuneralhome.com July 30, 2013
03:00 pm - 08:00 pm
John L. Ziegenhein & Sons Funeral Home
7027 Gravois Ave., St. Louis, MO 63116
July 31, 2013
10:00 am - 11:00 am
St. John Nepomuk Catholic Church
1625 S. Eleventh Street, St. Louis, MO 63104