Living

Notes:

After graduating from High School in 1965, Ralph served on a Naval Ship off the coast of Viet Nam. He returned home to farm after completing his tour of duty. He is a Milligan Fireman, on the Board of Directors of the Farmer's Co-Op, and plays in the Legion Brass Band (Milligan, p 331).

Ralph J. Kassik
Ralph J. Kassik 60, Milligan, dies Thursday (10/4/07) in Geneva. He was born January 30, 1947 to Henry and Agnes (Herynk) Kassik at Friend, Neb. Member of Milligan American Legion Post #240. Survivors: wife, Brenda Kassik, Milligan; sons, Bryce Kassik, Milligan; Brent Kassik, Lincoln; brother & sister-in-law, Richard & Judy Kassik, Milligan; sister-in-law & brother-in-law, Dan & Beverly Kotas, Milligan; nieces, nephews, many cousins and too many friends to list. Services: 10 a.m. Monday, Zion Lutheran Church, Tobias, Neb. Visitation 1-8 p.m. Sunday (10/7/07) at Farmer & Son Funeral Home - Kotas Chapel, Milligan. Military graveside services Bohemian National Cemetery, Milligan. Memorials to the family in lieu of flowers. Published in the Lincoln Journal Star on 10/6/2007, courtesty of Dennis Belohlavy.

Ralph married Living [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Hiney attended the Milligan Public School through the eighth grade, then stayed home to help his dad farm. (Milligan, p 328).

Henry married Agnes Herynk on 9 Jun 1931 in Fillmore County, Nebraska. Agnes (daughter of Joseph Herynk and Anna Dlouhy) was born on 21 Nov 1909 in Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska; died on 7 Dec 1984 in Glengary Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Agnes attended the Tobias Public Schools, graduating with the class of 1928. She taught District #48 in Saline County from 1928-1930. She was very active in community organizations, and was the first woman elected to an Extension Board in the State of Nebraska. (Milligan, pp 328-329).

Martin married Leona Bartels on 2 Oct 1949. Leona was born on 5 Jun 1928 in Saline County, Nebraska; died on 13 Feb 2023 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried on 21 Feb 2023 in Zion Lutheran Church Cemetery, Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Obituary for Leona E. Klawitter

Mother of Bev Kotas & Brenda Kassik

A Funeral Service for Leona will be held on Tuesday, February, 21, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church in Tobias, Nebraska. Pastor Gideon Pullman will preside over the Funeral Service.

A Graveside Service will be held in the Zion Lutheran Cemetery following the Funeral Service.

There will be no public visitation for Leona.

Memorials are suggested to the family for future designation.

Leona Elizabeth Klawitter was born to Otto John & Lena Marie (Schwisow) Bartels on June 5, 1928 at the family farm near Tobias, Nebraska. She passed away on February 13, 2023 at Heritage Crossings Nursing Home in Geneva, Nebraska at the age of 94 years, 8 months and 8 days. She was one of 7 children born in the family.

Leona lived the majority of her life in Tobias. She was baptized at the Zion Lutheran Church on June 24, 1928 and confirmed on May 3, 1942. She attended Zion Lutheran grade school and graduated from Tobias High School in 1946. After high school, she taught school for a few years. She was married to Martin G. Klawitter on October 2, 1949 and two children were born to this union: Beverly Jean and Brenda Joyce. Leona was never afraid of hard work. At a young age, she had to help care for her younger siblings and this led to a strong work ethic. Leona and Martin both started out working at the Tobias school, Leona as a school cook and Martin as the school janitor. After the girls were out of school, Leona began working at the Girl's Training School. During this time, Martin tragically passed away in a grain elevator accident in Milligan on November 26, 1973. As life moved forward, Leona took employment with the United States Post Office as a clerk in Tobias and occasionally working in Lincoln at the Post Office. After nearly 40 years of public service, Leona retired from the Post Office. She then began volunteering her time for the Tobias Grocery Store Coop and also tending to the Boulevard flowers as you enter into Tobias.

Leona's church family was very important to her and she remained a member of Zion Lutheran Church her entire life. She was active in the Church Choir, Ladies Aid and Bible Study groups. She also was active in the Tobias community serving on the Tobias Town Board and Library Board. She enjoyed sewing, quilting, and embroidery, even constructing Brenda's wedding dress as well as Bev & Brenda's attendant's dresses. She also enjoyed birds, especially cardinals, playing the card game 'Rook,' her Tobias Birthday Coffee Group, Husker Football and Kansas City Royal's and St. Louis Cardinal's Baseball. With all the activities Leona found to occupy her time, her priority was her family, specifically her grandkids. She loved to attend all activities of the grandkids, especially their sporting activities, keeping track of points and fouls during the contests. More so points for Bryce, Gina & Travis, and fouls for Brent! She also enjoyed following Brent in his auto races. It made her nervous to watch, but when she did, she would grip onto Brenda's leg while Brent was on the track!

Leona was the matriarch of the family and had to persevere through the loss of her husband at a young age, but she made the most of it. She moved to the Sunshine Villa Apartments in Milligan in 2014 to be closer to her daughters. In 2021, she moved to Heritage Crossings where she remained until her death.

Leona was preceded in death by her husband Martin; parents Otto & Lena Bartels; brothers & sisters-in-law Vernon & Letha Bartels, Gaylord Bartels, Willard Bartels, Everett & Iona Bartels; brothers-in-law Wilmer Brandt and Lester Steinbrook; son-in-law Ralph Kassik; and nephews Jerry Brandt and Lowell Bartels.

She is survived by her daughters Beverly & Daniel Kotas and Brenda Kassik all of Milligan, Nebraska; grandchildren Bryce & Molly Kassik of Geneva, Nebraska, Gina & Michael Krambeck of Omaha, Nebraska, Brent Kassik of Geneva, Nebraska, Travis Kotas of Milligan, Nebraska; great grandchildren Cooper & Lennyn Kassik of Geneva, Nebraska; sisters Dorothy Brandt of Western, Nebraska, Donna Steinbrook of Tobias, Nebraska; sisters-in-law Pat Bartels of Fairbury, Nebraska, Judy Bartels of Tobias, Nebraska; and numerous nieces, nephews, great nieces, and great nephews.

(Courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy, Farmer & Son Funeral Home)

Frank married Agnes Vohnout on 31 Oct 1892 in Fillmore County, Nebraska. Agnes (daughter of George (Jiri) Vohnout and Barbara ???) was born on 21 Jan 1872 in Bohemia; died on 13 Aug 1912 in Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Joseph became the owner of his parents farm in 1922. Later his daughter and son-in-law, Agnes and Henry Kassik owned it. Their sons, Ralph and Richard Kassik are the fourth generation to own and farm the land. Joe was a member of the Lodge Svatopluk Chech of Milligan for over 50 years (Milligan, p 299).

Joseph married Anna Dlouhy on 22 Feb 1909 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Anna (daughter of Adolph Dlouhy and Marie A. Cvach) was born on 6 Jun 1889 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska; died on 8 Jun 1965 in Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
"(Four couples) celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary February 22, 1959....They were Mr. and Mrs. Frank Capek, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Capek, Mrs. and Mrs. Frank Hromadka, and Mrs. and Mrs. Joseph Herynk. The Capeks and Hromadkas celebrated their 50th anniversary at the Milligan Auditorium and the Herynks celebrated their 50th anniversary at Tobias Hall." (Milligan, p 236)