Living

Notes:

Jimmy grew up on a farm, but rode the school bus to Milligan, making him a "town kid." He was active with sports, music and 4-H while in school. During World War II, he served in the Second Engineer Batallion, Second Marine Division from Saipan to the Occupation of Japan, landing at Nagasaki and the across to Kyuski Island. He was called, as a Marine reservist, to active duty during the Korean conflict. He was stationed at Cherry Point, North Carolina. After his discharge, James and Mamye made Alexandria their home. Jim worked for the Bureau of Public Roads as a soil engineer. As of 1988, he was a research highway engineer for the U.S. Department of Transportation (Milligan, p 339).

James married Janet Pauline Keeney on 9 Jul 1949 in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska. Janet was born on 28 Nov 1927 in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska; died on 4 Jan 2016 in White Stone, Lancaster County, Virginia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The daughter of James Ramsey KEENEY (DOB 20 August 1900) and Mary Bell FISH (DOB 24 February 1904). She worked for Capital Airlines, which merged with United. This allowed James and Janet to frequently return to Nebraska, as well as traveling throughout the world. (Milligan, p 339).

Obituary

Janet Pauline (Keeney) Koca, 88, of Milligan and White Stone, Va. passed away on 1/4/2016. She was born in Lincoln to James and Mary Keeney. She retired from United Airlines in 1984.

Preceded by her husband of 65 years, James F. Koca of Milligan, as well as brothers James, Roy and Don. Survived by children James, Jonathan and Jenise; six grandchildren; a great-grandchild; and foster children as well as sisters Vera Wendelin, Maxine Osterman and Mary Lou Fairbanks, brothers Vernon and Robert.

Memorial service will be held on 4/16 in White Stone, Va.

(Courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy)

Notes:

J.V. lost the top half of his right thumb when it was kicked off by a horse when he was a teenager. He operated the Koca family steam powered threashing rig, which was one of the first in the area. (Milligan, p 339).

James married Mamye C. Rohla on 1 Feb 1921 in Lincoln, Lancaster County, Nebraska. Mamye was born on 11 Dec 1900 in Saline County, Nebraska; died on 18 Mar 1973 in Saline County, Nebraska; was buried on 21 Mar 1973 in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The daughter of James V. and Josephine ROHLA. She attended the same rural school as her husband. She moved to Tobias High School from Wilber, graduating from Tobias in 1919. She taught in a rural Saline County school for two years prior to her marriage. She loved to garden and was interested in forestry as well. (Milligan, p 339, 340).

Notes:

Married:
The couple was married by a Justice of the Peace in Lincoln, honeymooning in Hot Springs, Arkansas. After returning to Nebraska, they were remarried at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in March, 1921, at the insistance of James grandfather, Vaclav Koca. (Milligan, p 339).

Notes:

Vaclav, his father, and brother Joseph filed their first naturalization papers in Geneva, Nebraska on February 27, 1882. They were naturalized on November 28, 1892, with Joseph MOTIS and Vaclav TYNER as witnesses. (Milligan, p 343).

Vaclav married Marie Bernasek on 9 Jul 1889 in Glengary Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Marie (daughter of Josef Frantisek Bernasek and Josefa Urbankova) was born on 25 Mar 1868 in Bohy, Plzen-Sever, Plzensk? Kraj, Bohemia; died on 1 Dec 1960 in Friend, Saline County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Married:
They were married in the the Koca home, with Frank TENOPIR and Albert BIBA as witnesses. Vaclav's brother Joseph, a widower, was married on the same day in a double ceremony. They repeated their vows in the Catholic Church on January 6, 1891 before it was completely plastered and finished. Attendants were Frank TENOPIR, Frank KOCA, Josephine BECK, and Mary PRIBYL. They farmed in Section 19 of Atlanta Township for many years, buying a home from Frank STECH in Milligan to retire too. They moved into this home in 1923, with their two youngest daughters. In February, 1950, their home caught fire due to a glowing ember from a stove. The were away from home, and arrived with the kitchen floor ablaze. Marie went to get help, and Vaclav attempted to douse the flames. A hole the size of a basket was left in the floor. He died of respiratory problems related to the smoke he inhaled a few months later. His brother Joseph died of pneumonia as well, a few days after Vaclav (Milligan, p 343).