Marie Kotas

Notes:

The Nebraska Signal
23 February 2000

Marie B. Vlasak

Marie B. Vlasak, 79, of Wilber, died Monday, Feb. 7, 2000 in Crete.

She was born August 5, 1920 on a farm north of Milligan, to John F. and Bessie R. (Masek) Kotas. She attended the Milligan Public School and graduated with the class of 1938. She helped on the family farm and did housework in the Crete area working at the Crete Mills and Fairmont Creamery. She married Charles Vlasak, Jr. on Sept.23, 1943, at the Saline County Courthouse in Wilber. In 1993, they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.

They made their home in Spokane, Wash. while Charles was in the service. Here she worked for Nabisco Biscuit Co. and Armour Meat Packing Plant. They moved back to Crete where she worked for Gooches and in 1946 moved to a farm north of Hallam. In 1957, they moved to a farm south of Wilber, retiring in 1989 and moved into Wilber.
She was a member of the American Legion Auxiliary in Wilber for 38 years; a member of ZCBJ Lodge No. 3 inCrete, receiving her 50 year membership pin and was a V.A. Hospital volunteer for 888 hours.

She is survived by her brothers and sisters-in-law, Jim F. and Norma Kotas of Milligan, Donald and Velma Kotas of Lincoln; nieces and nephews and spouses; Aunt Mae Kotas of Milligan and great and great-great nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Charles Vlasak, Jr., Oct. 24, 1996; infant brother, Johnny Kotas; sister and brother-in-law, Henrietta and Marion Arbuck.
Funeral services were held Thursday, Feb.10 at 2 p.m. at Zajicek Funeral Home in Wilber with the Rev. Paul Quackenbush officiating. Soloist Elmer Nemec accompanied by Bernice Zajicek.

Interment was at the Wilber Czech Cemetery.
Pallbearers were Wayne Arbuck, Dennis Kotas, Doug Kotas, Brad Kasl, Doug Hayek and Daryl Hayek.
Honorary pallbearers were Delbert Kotas, David Kotas, Gerald Splichal, Jon Eisenhauer, Darin Keller, Chuck Rains, Paul Essman and Mark Bors.
Memorials may be directed to the Charles and Marie Vlasak Scholarship Fund

Marie married Charles Vlasak on 23 Sep 1943 in Wilber, Saline County, Nebraska. Charles was born before 1920; died on 24 Oct 1996. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

He was drafted into the U.S. Army, and served through June 2, 1919. After his discharge, he helped Louis PLACEK farm. He was a Legionnaire, held several offices and helped build the first American Legion building, was a Lodge member and also belonged to the Knights of Pythias. He spent many hours, alongside Bessie, working in the Milligan Auditorium on dance night. Fishing was his pastime. After Bessie died, he bought a home in Milligan from Chas. HLADEK. He was honored as a life-time admiral into the Great Nebraska Navy in 1976. (Milligan, p 357-358)

John married Bessie R. Masek on 1 Oct 1919 in Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska. Bessie was born on 31 Aug 1896 in Hriskov, ?steck?, Bohemia; died on 19 Aug 1957 in Friend, Saline County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The Milligan Nebraska Centennial History book notes that "She was the daughter of Anton MASEK and Mary HOUDA. She came to the United States with J.V. CHARVAT. They took a boat to New York and then traveled by train to Lincoln, arriving on September 11, 1913. The entire trip cost 439 Korum, or $89 U.S. dollars. She worked first as a housekeeper for Rudy ULDRICHS at two dollars a week. She later moved to Milligan, where she was employed by Louis PLACEK for $3 weekly."

Notes:

Married:
After their marriage, John and Bessie moved to the farm in Section 1, north of Milligan, Glengary Township, where they spent their entire married life. This farm was given to them by John's mother in 1922. (Milligan, p 358).

Notes:

John was a farmer and businessman. In 1899, he built a lumber yard. The Catholic Church was built with lumber donated from his yard. In 1890, he built a saloon on Main Street, from land he bought from Vaclav and Mary KOTTAS. One Saturday night, as he was locking up, he heard a noise and as he turned around someone threw a bottle, hitting him in the face which cut his lip badly and broke out a tooth. He grew a moustache after this to cover the scar. He sold the saloon, and purchased land from Frank ANDREL in 1892 and returned to farming. They later returned to their home place which had been rented. John died following an accident in the hay field, which was caused by one of the frames for stacking hay coming unfastened and falling on him, hitting him across the shoulders and neck. He was a prominent citizen from the time the village of Milligan was organized, quiet of dispostion, and never meddling in other people's affairs, attending only to his business. Friends and neighbors stacked the grain and hay in the fields for the family. As the boys were too young to take over the farm, it was rented. (Milligan, p 357).

Jan married Marie Rejsek on 7 Feb 1882 in Fillmore County, Nebraska. Marie was born on 27 Aug 1862 in Stra?ec?, Bohemia; died on 5 Aug 1927 in Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

The daughter of John REJSEK and Mary MATEJOVSKY. Her mother died when she was 13, and her father sent her to America in 1880 with her aunt and uncle, Josefa REJSEK and Joseph JANDA. She helped them care for their children. She left behind a three brothers and a sister, Eleanor, who later came to America and married Karel LAUN. Her brothers were Mike, Charlie and John. After arriving in America, Marie worked as a nanny for the ZISKA children and as a chamber maid at a hotel in Exeter, Nebraska. This is where she met John KOTAS, who had to haul his grain to Fairmont. (Milligan, p 357).

Notes:

Married:
They were married in a triple wedding with John's brother, W.J. and Filipina STEINACHER and a neighbor, Valentine STEINACHER and Mary PROKOP. (Milligan, p 357, 369). The actual date was shown alternately as February 3 and February 7.

Notes:

He was born to Martin or Mattias KOTAS. He emigrated from Bohemia in 1868, settling first in Chicago for two years. The family left Illinois in October, 1870, arriving at the homestead of his sister and brother-in-law, Katherine and John PLACEK, who lived in Section 12 of Big Blue Township in Saline County. John and sons Frank and Joseph walked to Fillmore County to claim homesteads, which they filed in Beatrice on October 17, 1870, at the same time filing their naturalization papers. They lived with bachelor homesteader Frank ZNAJEMSKY until their dugout was built on October 25, 1870. John received his patent on May 16, 1878. The first dugout school of District #44 was on the KOTAS homestead. John was also instrumental in getting a Catholic Church built on his land, serving in the puplit occasionally as their was not resident priest. He also helped establish Ceski Brati, a Catholic Cemetery. Later in life, John purchased addtional land from the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad, making it possible to give each of his 7 surviving children a farm. He and Barbara retired to Milligan. While repairing the roof of his home, he fell and was impaled on their picket fence. The funeral was conducted at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church and he was buried in Ceski Brati cemetery near his son. More than 100 buggies followed the hearse to the cemetery. He is buried under the name KOTTAS, even though his railroad documents and homestead documents were executed using KOTAS. His son, W.J. was administrator of his estate, so this may account for the change in spelling. (Milligan, p 356). He was the son of Martin KOTAS and Mary PIPLA. (Milligan, p 357).

Jan married Barbara Svoboda before 1848 in Plzen, Bohemia. Barbara was born on 1 Apr 1829 in Ivanov, Zbyrov, Bohemia; died on 6 Mar 1899 in Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska; was buried in Bohemian Brethren Cemetery (AKA Cesky Bratri Cemetery), Fillmore County, Nebraska. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

She was the aunt of Josephine SAUFL. (Milligan, p 316). After the death of her husband, she lived with her son Joseph in Milligan. (Milligan, p 356). She was the daugther of Josefa SVOBODA. (Milligan, p 357).