James F. Kotas

1925 - 2018  (92 years)

• Name	James F. Kotas  [1, 2]
  Birth	23 May 1925	Glengary Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska   [2, 3]
  Gender	Male
  Death	25 Jan 2018	Fairmont, Fillmore County, Nebraska
  Burial	Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska
  Notes	A 1943 graduate of Milligan High School, he was inducted into the Army on his 21st birthday. He was stationed at Fort Lewis in Washington, later being sent to Korea. He received his honorable discharge on May 7, 1947. After his term in the service, he helped his father farme and did custom trucking. He later went to work for JIm VOSOBA, the Standard Oil Agent. Jim is a volunteer fireman, rescue personnel, Community Club member, Hospital board member, and member of the V.F.W. Post #7102 and the Nebraska Petroleum Marketers association. In addition to this, he served on the school board, town board and was fire chief. He enjoys fishing and boating with his sons and grandsons. He and his brother, Don, inherited the 80-acre farm in Section One, Glengary Township, after their fathers death. (Milligan, p 355). Obituary Jim F. Kotas, the last member of the John F. & Bessie R. (Masek) Kotas family passed away on Monday, January 25, 2018 at the Fairview Manor in Fairmont, Nebraska at the age of 92 years, 8 months, and 2 days. He was born on May 23, 1925 on the family farm north of Milligan. He attended Milligan Public School for 12 years and graduated with the class of 1943. After graduation, he worked in Omaha at a meat packing plant. He was drafted into the Army on his 21st birthday at Fort Leonard Wood, Kansas. He spent time in Korea before receiving an honorable discharge on May 27, 1947 at Fort Lawton, Washington. On May 11, 1949, he married Norma Most and to this union 4 sons were born: Dennis, David, Douglas, and Delbert. On July 1, 1949, he began driving a fuel truck for Joe Vosoba. After Joe's retirement, he became a Standard Oil Agent. In 1958, the company went to Jobbers and it became Kotas Oil Company. He retired after nearly 40 years in the oil business. After retirement, Jim enjoyed helping area farmers with grain harvest. He was also active in the community serving as the Chief on the Milligan Fire Department for many years. He also took EMT training in the early 1970's with Merle Buzek and Albert Michl, and they were the original members of the Milligan Rescue Squad serving for many years. He enjoyed serving with the Fire & Rescue and was dedicated to helping people in need. Jim also served on the Milligan School Board, the Fillmore County Hospital Board for 25 years, the Petroleum Marketers Board, and the Milligan Village Board. In November of 2016, he was honored to receive a Quilt of Valor in recognition of his military service. Jim was preceded in death by his parents; brothers Johnny and Donald; sisters Marie and husband Chas Vlasek and Henrietta and husband Marion Arbuck; daughter-in-law Janet Kotas; grandson Jason Kotas; and brother-in-law Arnold Capek. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Norma of Milligan, Nebraska; sons Dennis & Lois Kotas, Douglas & Yvonne Kotas all of Milligan, Nebraska, David Kotas of Faucett, Missouri, and Delbert & Susan Kotas of Juniata, Nebraska; grandchildren T.J. and wife Abby Kotas of Lincoln, Nebraska, Gary Kotas of Humboldt, Nebraska, Katherine Kotas of Portsmouth, Virginia, Brittni Kotas of Milligan, Nebraska, Justin Kotas of Colorado Springs, Colorado, and Emilie Kotas of Exeter, Nebraska; great grand daughter Kayla Brhle of Milford, Nebraska; great great granddaughter Brynlee Motley of Milford, Nebraska; sisters-in-law Lucille Capek of Milligan, Nebraska and Velma and John Kirby of Lincoln, Nebraska; cousin Reenlee Kotas of San Diego, California; and step grandchildren, step great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and friends. A Funeral Service for Jim was held on Monday, January 29, 2018 at 10:30 a.m. at the Milligan Auditorium in Milligan, Nebraska. Pastor Brian Kottas officiated the service. Karen Kohler accompanied Jon Scoville who sang "How Great Thou Art" and "Just A Closer Walk With Thee. " Pallbearers for the service included T.J. Kottas, Gary Kotas, Justin Kotas, Wayne Arbuck, Gerald Capek, and Jon Eisenhauer. Interment was held in the Bohemian National Cemetery with Military Rites performed by the Milligan American Legion HSSK Post 240. Farmer & Son Funeral Home conducted the services and online condolences can be left at www.farmerandsonfuneralhome.com. Memorials are suggested to the Milligan Rescue Squad or the Milligan American Legion. (Courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy)
  Person ID	I20462	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	17 Mar 2018

  
  

  Father	John F. Kotas,   b. 19 Aug 1888, Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska d. 27 Apr 1979, Friend, Saline County, Nebraska (Age 90 years)
  Mother	Bessie R. Masek,   b. 31 Aug 1896, Hriskov, ?steck?, Bohemia d. 19 Aug 1957, Friend, Saline County, Nebraska (Age 60 years)
  Marriage	1 Oct 1919	Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska   [4]
  	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).
  Family ID	F7313	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Norma Jean Most,   b. 22 Jul 1931, Glengary Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska d. 11 Feb 2019, Fairmont, Fillmore County, Nebraska (Age 87 years)
  Marriage	11 May 1949	Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska   [3, 5]
  Children	1. Living   2. Living   3. Living   4. Living
  Family ID	F7317	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	25 May 2019

  
  

• Event Map		Birth - 23 May 1925 - Glengary Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska Marriage - 11 May 1949 - Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska Death - 25 Jan 2018 - Fairmont, Fillmore County, Nebraska Burial - - Bohemian National Cemetery (Milligan South), Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska  = Link to Google Earth
  Pin Legend	: Address       : Location       : City/Town       : County/Shire       : State/Province       : Country       : Not Set

  
  

• Sources

  [S219] Milligan Centennial History Book Committee HISTORY OF MILLIGAN, NEBRASKA 1888-1988 (Walsworth Publishing, Marceline, MO), p 350, 351, 355 (Reliability: 3). [S1299] 1940 United States Federal Census [Ancestry.com. database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2012, (Original data: United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Sixteenth Census of the United States, 1940. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1940. T627, 4,643 rolls.), "United States Census, 1940," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KM1B-DPD : accessed 27 Oct 2013), Bessie R Kotas in household of John F Kotas, Glengary Township, Fillmore, Nebraska, United States; citing enumeration dis (Reliability: 3). [S219] Milligan Centennial History Book Committee HISTORY OF MILLIGAN, NEBRASKA 1888-1988 (Walsworth Publishing, Marceline, MO), p 355 (Reliability: 3). [S219] Milligan Centennial History Book Committee HISTORY OF MILLIGAN, NEBRASKA 1888-1988 (Walsworth Publishing, Marceline, MO), p 358 (Reliability: 3). [S548] Belohlavy, Dennis (belohdb@windstream.net) "Family Tree of Dennis L. and Rebecca J. "Becky" (Arnold) Belohlavy ; http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=belohlavy, (http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?db=belohlavy).