Stanley Vodraska

VODRASKA, Stanley Luis, professor emeritus of philosophy at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY, died on October 15, 2025, in Lancaster, NH, surrounded by his children. He was 90 years old. The second of four sons, he was born into a farming family near Milford, Iowa. His parents, Wenceslas Vodraska and Justine Klinkenborg, were children of immigrants from the Czech Republic and Germany.

Prof. Vodraska graduated from public high school in Lakota, IA, then served with the Navy (ONI) from 1953-1957. Following his service, through the GI Bill, he earned a BA degree (with honors) in philosophy from St. John’s University (Minnesota). He continued his education as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Louvain in Belgium, where he met the British-born Florence Pittaway. They married in London, England, in 1963, soon after Prof. Vodraska had earned a MA degree as a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at the University of Chicago.

Prof. Vodraska joined the faculty of Canisius College in 1964 and would also pursue and later earn a PhD in philosophy from the University of London, Warburg Institute. At Canisius, Prof. Vodraska taught philosophy for over 40 years, and also served on its faculty senate (1972-1988). Later in his career, Prof. Vodraska focused on philosophy of the family, a subject he often taught from 1991 until his retirement in 2008. This led to his publication of an anthology, “Philosophical Essays concerning Human Families” (University Press of America, 2014). Reflecting this emphasis on the family, Prof. Vodraska, together with his beloved wife, Florence, prioritized raising their children and were both wonderful parents. The family resided in the Parkside neighborhood in Buffalo for several decades.

Outside of academics and raising his family, Prof. Vodraska had many interests he shared with Florence, including collecting antiques and gardening. Throughout his life he was an avid reader and delved into a vast variety of subjects. He also enjoyed early classical music and woodworking. Prof. Vodraska became a connoisseur of healthy eating to help mitigate the post-gastrectomy syndromes he suffered most of his adult life as a result of duodenal ulcers. In his later years, Prof. Vodraska also became interested in the use of vitamin K in mitigating hemorrhagic stroke, a condition he also suffered. Following his retirement, Prof. Vodraska particularly enjoyed his time with Florence traveling to Europe and in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, before moving to NH.

Predeceased by Florence, his wife of 55 years, and his three brothers, John, Michael and James (all of Iowa), survivors include his son Adam (Katharine Fierro) of Chevy Chase, MD, daughters Sarah Berrian (Tom) of Danville, VT, and Rebeccah Sensenbrenner (Eric) of Bethesda, MD, and grandchildren Andrew, Rowan, Zoe, Augie, and Rayna. Services will be private. Donations in Prof. Vodraska’s memory can be made to the Morrison Communities of Whitefield, NH.