Living

Living married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Living
2. Living
3. Living
4. Living

Notes:

Leonard graduated from Milligan High School in 1940, and bought his brother, Albert, out in the wholesale soft drink business. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force on December 3, 1941, ans was attached to the 503rd Fighter Squadron. His group was with the Eighth Air Force in England. He was discharged from the service on October 18, 1945, with the rank of Staff Sergeant. He went into partnership with his brothers, Fred and Albert, in the Feed Mill, Alfalfa Mill, and the implement business. They also distributed wholesale beer and soft drinks. Leonard also played the trumpet with many different bands over the years. He assumed the leadership of the Milligan Legion Brass Band in 1961, along with managing the Milligan Auditorium Theater from 1958 through 1962. He was active in numerous civic organizations. (Milligan, p 330).

Leonard married Arlene Venice Vnoucek on 21 May 1946. Arlene (daughter of Joseph Robert Vnoucek and Ella Eret) was born on 24 Jul 1925 in Friend, Saline County, Nebraska; died on 10 Jan 2022 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Arlene attended High School in Crete, graduating in 1942. She worked at the Bruning and Fairmont Air Force Bases during World War II. She was later employed by the Milligan Public School system, the Formfit plant in Crete, and the Youth Development Center at Geneva. As was her husband, Arlene was involved in numerous civic organizations. (Milligan, p 330).

Obituary

A Funeral Service for Alrene will be held on Friday, January 14, 2022 at 2:30 p.m. at the Milligan Auditorium. Pastor Murry Johnston will preside over the Funeral Service.

A Graveide Service will be held at the Bohemian National Cemetery following the Funeral Service.

Public visitation will be held on Thursday, January 13, 2022 from 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. with family present from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Farmer & Son Funeral Home - Kotas Chapel in Milligan.

Memorials are suggested to the United Methodist Church, Milligan Auditorium Window Project, or the Milligan Legion Auxiliary.

Arlene Venice Kassik was born to Joseph R. Vnoucek and Ella (Eret) Vnoucek on July 24,1925 at Friend, NE, and passed away January 10, 2022, at Heritage Crossings in Geneva, NE at the age of 96 years, 5 months and 17 days. She was one of 6 children in the family.

Arlene grew up on a farm northeast of Milligan. She attended Country School District #100 and stayed at her Grandmother Eret's home in Crete to attend High School where she graduated with the Class of 1942. After graduation, she worked at the Bruning and Fairmont Airbases during World War II from 1942 to 1946. After her children were in school, she worked at Milligan Public School as a cook, at the Formfit Plant at Crete, and then worked at the Youth Development Center in Geneva, NE from 1981 to 1991.

On May 21,1946, Arlene was married to Leonard Kassik of Milligan, NE on her family's farm and to them 3 children were born: Michael Leonard, Dean Albert, and Patricia Marie. Her family farm was a place where she held an abundance of memories like the one Christmas Leonard rode on horseback due to large amounts of snow to deliver her Christmas gift which was a brown fur coat. She first met Leonard when Arlene's brother Loren, along with Leonard, came to get her and Dot for the weekend at Crete while they were staying at her Grandmother Eret's.

Arlene was a member of the Milligan United Methodist Church and UMW spanning over 50 plus years. Since 1945 she was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary Post #240 where she held offices at the local and county level. Arlene was also a member of the WFLA and Senior Citizens Club in Milligan. Her talents of Czech cooking, sewing, crocheting, knitting and embroidery were weaved throughout her whole life. Family and friends, time and time again, enjoyed her kolaches and dumplings. Her children donned her talents of homemade costumes and clothes. Her handwork of blankets and towels is a gift that will never be forgotten. As a witness of all of these things, Arlene's passion in life was her husband, her family, dancing and music, which lead her to support Leonard with The Milligan Czech Brass Band.

Arlene was preceded in death by her parents Joseph and Ella Vnoucek; husband Leonard Kassik; grandson Dean M. Kassik; brothers and sisters in law Loren Vnoucek and Arnold Vnoucek and Evelyn, Anna Vnoucek, Ray Soukup, Leslie Skrivanek, Marian and Emil Beranek, Albert and Neva Kassik, Fred and Mary Kassik, and niece Nancy Soukup; nephews Loren Skrivanek, Leonard (Magee) and Dennis Beranek, and Sam and Tom Kassik.

She is survived by sons Michael and wife Debbie Kassik, and Dean and wife Laura Kassik of Milligan; daughter Patricia and husband Timothy Remmers of Bruning; sisters Dorothy Skrivanek of Geneva and Betty Soukup of Lincoln; brother Joe A. Vnoucek of Farimont; 8 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren; and a host of nieces, nephews, and friends.


(Courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy, from Farmer and Son Funeral Home)

Notes:

Married:
The family are all members of the Methodist Church. (Milligan, p 330).

Notes:

Fifty year member of the ZCJB Lodge Svatopluch Cech, and member of the village board for many years.

Albert married Marie Frycek on 21 Mar 1911. Marie (daughter of Frantisek "Frank" Frycek and Terezie Pesik) was born on 25 Jan 1888 in Sechutice, Kralovice, Bohemia; died on 31 Mar 1940 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

A hard working person, Marie spent a great deal of time at the mill sacking flour, and doing other jobs. Despite her busy schedule she always managed to find time to help others. (Milligan, p 327).

Notes:

Married:
After deciding to discontinue farming, they had a sale in 1923 and started building a flour mill in Milligan. In 1924, they moved to town and began operations in the mill and elevator. In the early 1930's, Albert and his sons built one of the first cold storage locker plants in the area. In connection with this, they engaged in the wholesale beer business. (Milligan, p 327).

Joseph married Ella Eret on 30 Mar 1920 in Wilber, Saline County, Nebraska. Ella was born on 3 Aug 1899 in Western, Saline County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Came to the United States in 1867*, originally settling in Chicago. They later homesteaded in Fillmore County, Nebraska. His homestead was the W 1/2 SE 1/4 of Section 10, Glengary Township on 17 October 1870, for which he received the patent on 16 May 1878. Josef use to work in Nebraska City and would walk there and back, often carrying home a 50-pound sack of flour. (Milligan, p. 324).

*May have come later than this, as daughter, Mary, born in 1868 was shown on census records as having been born in Bohemia.

(Research):Census Information:

1880 Census
Joseph KASSIK Self M M W 54 BOHEMEN Occ:Farmer Fa: BOHEME
N Mo: BOHEMEN
Mary KASSIK Wife F M W 48 BOHEMEN Occ:Housekeeper Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN Joseph KASSIK Son M S W 18 BOHEMEN Occ:Farmer Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN
James KASSIK Son M S W 15 BOHEMEN Occ:Farmer Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN
Mary KASSIK Dau F S W 13 BOHEMEN Occ:At School Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN
Frank KASSIK Son M S W 9 NE Occ:At School Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN
Anne KASSIK Dau F S W 6 NE Occ:At School Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN
Amel KASSIK Son M S W 4 NE Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN
Albert KASSIK Son M S W 1 NE Fa: BOHEMEN Mo: BOHEMEN

Josef married Veronika Franek about 1859 in Bohemia. Veronika was born on 20 Nov 1833 in Kozojedy, Plzen, Bohemia; died on 7 Mar 1918 in Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
Joseph and Veronica gave each of their five boys a 160-acre farm with a three room house, barn and granary. (Milligan, p 325).

Notes:

Frank and Terezie came to America from Kralovic, Czechoslovakia in 1904, along with children Marie, Jim, Frank and Bohumil. Their older son, Albert, had preceded them by two years. When they first arrived, they went to the farm home of Frank and Marie (Bernasek) KOTTAS. Marie's mother was Marie FRYCEK. Frank and Terezie farmed in Milligan for 11 years, later moving to Christina, Montana to farm. (Milligan, 273-274).

Frantisek married Terezie Pesik about 1884. Terezie was born on 17 Jan 1863 in Brdo, Plzen-Sever, Plzensk? Kraj, Bohemia; died on 6 Oct 1928 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

In her declining years, Terezie was persuaded to move back to Nebraska to be cared for by daughter Marie Kassick. After her death at age 65, her funeral services were conducted by the Royal Neighbors of America, Jednota Ceskych Dam and Rad Cechie, organizations of which Terezie was a member. (Milligan, p 274).

Listed place of birth is Brdokres, Manetin, Bohemia