Phyllis Jean Kotas

1925 - 2015  (89 years)

• Name	Phyllis Jean Kotas  [1, 2]
  Born	20 Dec 1925	Fillmore County, Nebraska   [1, 2]
  Gender	Female
  Died	29 Jan 2015	Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska   [2]
  Buried	Geneva Public Cemetery, Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska   [2]
  Notes	Obituary Phyllis J. Engle Funeral services for Phyllis will be held on Tuesday, February 3, 2015 at 10:30 AM at First Congregational United Church of Christ with Pastor Diane Ryder officiating. Visitation will be begin on Monday, February 2, 2015 at 1:00 PM until 8:00 PM at Farmer & Son Funeral Home in Geneva, NE. Graveside services will be held in the Geneva Public Cemetery. Memorials are to be directed to the family for a later designation. Phyllis Jean Engle was born to Anton E. Kotas and Gertrude (Deaver) Kotas on December 20, 1925 at the family farm near Tobias, NE, and passed away January 29, 2015 at Heritage Crossings in Geneva, NE, at the age of 89 years, 1 month and 9 days. She was one of four children in the family. Phyllis was born and raised on the family farm near Tobias, NE, and was baptized in the Catholic Faith as a child. She attended the Lone Star Country School through the 8th grade and graduated from Milligan High School in 1943. After high school she was employed at the Fairmont State Airbase. Phyllis was united in marriage to George A. Engle of Geneva on April 25, 1946 and resided on a farm northeast of Geneva. After Phyllis married George, she joined the First Congregational Church. They had three children, Diane, George "Jr." and Barbara. Phyllis was a quiet spoken lady and always found the good in everyone. She was a good cook, baker, and seamstress and loved her large garden. George and Phyllis purchased the First Congregational Church parsonage on August 1, 1974 and together with Diane they moved in to town in December 1974. After moving to town Phyllis and Diane would drive to the country to raise baby chicks and a large garden. She enjoyed dancing to Czech music. You could usually find George and Phyllis every Sunday at Pla-Mor Ballroom dancing the night away. While they were at Pla-Mor they ended up making many dancing friends. Phyllis served her church in many capacities; as a member of the Women's Fellowship, she served as the President for several years. During holiday season she was more than willing to help with Thanksgiving Dinner the church put together. She was always willing to help the ladies of the church put together a meal for the family and congregation of a fellow member who had passed away. She was also a member of the Geneva Legion Auxiliary Post #68. A favorite saying to her kids and one they will always remember was, "Two wrongs never makes it right". She was preceded in death by her parents, brother, Donald Kotas; brothers-in-law, Francis "Fritz" Greenlee, Frank, Harold and Willis Engle; sisters-in-laws, Anna Vnoucek, Helen and Beth Engle; niece, Debbie Wiltshire; nephews, Herald Brian Wiltshire, Lawrence Engle and great-niece, Kristin Engle. Phyllis is survived by her husband, George A. of Geneva; son, George Jr. and wife Susan of Geneva; daughters, Diane Engle of Geneva, Barbara Trapp and husband Tom of Geneva; sisters, Delmary Wiltshire of Lincoln, Faye Greenlee of York; sisters-in-law, Eleanor (Arlan) Becker of Exeter, Ruth (Delbert) Sorge of Geneva, Mary (Ronald) Uldrich of Milligan; brother-in-law, Joe A. Vnoucek of Friend; grandchildren, Loren Stephenson of Fairmont, Teresa (Herman) Rodriguez of Pecos, NM, James (Jean) Engle of Geneva, Rueben (Lisa) Engle of Clive, IA, Crystal Engle of York; 5 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren and lots of nieces, nephews and friends.
  Person ID	I20430	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	9 Sep 2022

  
  

  Father	Anton Edward Kotas, Jr.,   b. 29 Mar 1897, Glengary Township, Fillmore County, Nebraska ,   d. 27 Oct 1985, Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska  (Age 88 years)
  Mother	Gertrude Deaver,   b. 9 Dec 1900, Gilead, Thayer County, Nebraska ,   d. 25 Mar 1993, Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska  (Age 92 years)
  Married	22 May 1923	Lodgepole, Cheyenne County, Nebraska   [1]
  	Gertrude and Anton met when she was teaching school in Milligan. Gertrude later gave up teaching in Milligan, and moved to Venango, Nebraska. One weekend in May, 1923, Anton packed his suitcause and model T and drove to Vanango. He and Gertrude motored down to Sidney, got a ring and a marriage license, and were married in the newly built Catholic Church in Lodgepole. Gertrude's brother, Joe DEAVER and a school teacher friend, Leatha GIBSON, were the witnesses. After their marriage, they headed east to their farm home south of Milligan. They lived on their farm for 62 years, moving into a house in Geneva in July, 1985. Anton lived their with Gertrude for only two months before he passed away. Gertrude moved to Geneva and made her new home with daughter Phyllis Jean ENGLE. (Milligan, p 348
  Family ID	F2178	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	George Alexander Engle,   b. 7 Jan 1923, Fillmore County, Nebraska ,   d. 18 Aug 2015, Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska  (Age 92 years)
  Married	25 Apr 1946	Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska   [2]
  Children	1. George Allen Engle, Jr,   b. 14 Jul 1948, Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska ,   d. 30 Aug 2022, Fillmore County, Nebraska  (Age 74 years)
  Last Modified	24 Aug 2015
  Family ID	F13732	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map		Born - 20 Dec 1925 - Fillmore County, Nebraska Married - 25 Apr 1946 - Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska Died - 29 Jan 2015 - Geneva, Fillmore County, Nebraska Buried - - Geneva Public Cemetery, Geneva, 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 348 (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).