William James "Jimmie" Kottas

1919 - 2022  (102 years)

• Name	William James "Jimmie" Kottas  [1]
  Nickname	Jimmie
  Born	17 Aug 1919	Saline County, Nebraska   [1]
  Gender	Male
  Died	27 Feb 2022	Nebraska
  Buried	Tobias City Cemetery, Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska
  Notes	After graduation from Tobias High School, he clerked in the grocery store, and was drafted into the U.S. Army. He spent two and one-half years with Company K, 134th Infantry, 35th Division. He was transferred to Air Cadet School and trained as a pilot, and later still transferred back to the infantry, going overseas with the 77th Division to the Pacific Theater. He saw action on Iwo Shima and Leyte. After his discharge from the service, he returned to Milligan, where he managed the Coop Grocery Store. In 1951, he moved to Tobias where he operated his own grocery store and locker for 15 years. In 1966, he was appointed a rural mail carrier. (Milligan, p. 369). Obituary, courtesy of Dennis Belohlavy William James Kottas, only son of the late James Kottas and Rose Uldrich Kottas, was born near Tobias on August 17, 1919 and passed away on February 27, 2022. He attended rural school south of Tobias and attended Tobias High School graduating in 1937. During his teenage years he worked as a grocery clerk and also helped his father with farming. In February 1941 he was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served almost five years in the 134th Infantry, 35 Division; trained as an Airforce Cadet at Santa Ana Air Base, and later served with the 77th Infantry Division; in the Pacific Theater World War II. He was the recipient of the Bronze Star Medal and Citation Combat Infantryman's Badge, Purple Heart with two Oak Leaf clusters for being wounded twice on Okinawa, Expert Rifleman's Badge, and the Good Conduct Medal. He made several beach heads before he was discharged in October 1945. His entire life he was a true patriotic American and believed in doing good for his country. He was a member of the Firing Squad VFW Post 4959 Crete and Tobias American Legion. On October 27, 1942 he married Helen Rose Stejskal in Hawthorne, California. This union was blessed with four children: Sharon, Marylin, Janice, and Douglas. Jimmie, as most people called him, managed the Co-op Grocery Store in Milligan from 1946 to 1951. He moved to Tobias where he operated his own Locker and Grocery Store for 15 years. In 1966 he was appointed Rural Mail Carrier of the Tobias Route. From 1973-1974 he served as Officer In Charge of the Tobias Post Office returning to the Mail Carrier position at the end of the year. He then served part of the Ohiowa Mail route, as well as, the Tobias mail route. He retired in 1986. Jimmie loved sports and in his younger years managed the Little League Baseball Team for ten years in Tobias. He enjoyed attending sports events with his son and daughters during their high school years. Other interests were reading, hunting, gardening, playing cards, and dancing. He was a loving and caring husband, father, and grandfather. He loved every moment he spent playing and visiting with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He served on the Tobias Village Board, Tobias School Board, Volunteer Fire Dept., Assistant Scoutmaster, Tobias Community Historical Society Board, Saline County Museum Board, Saline Co. Crime Stoppers. He was a member of the American Legion and was a Commander of the Tobias Post, later a member of Louis Milan Post at Wilber. He served as District Eleven Adjutant for four years. Additional organization involvement included: Crete VFW #4959, Secretary of Lodge WFLA Krivoklat #79 for 32 years, Post Commander of Disabled American Veterans Chapter #42 in Crete, Tobias Volunteer Fireman, Retired Nebraska Rural Letter Carrier Association, Lincoln Military Order of Purple Heart #200, Knights of Columbus 3rd Degree (Father Beranek Council at Wilber.) He served many years as St. Joseph Church Trustee in Tobias and as parishioner at Sacred Heart Church in Crete. William J. Kottas, alongside his wife Helen, celebrated their 77th Wedding Anniversary on October 27, 2019. William was preceded in death by his parents, James and Rose Kottas, and his beautiful wife Helen. He is survived by children, Sharon (Allen) Brozovsky, Marylin (Albert) Ericksen, Janice (Mark) Schweer, Douglas (Dawn) Kottas, 14 grandchildren, 42 great grandchildren, and 1 great-great grandchild. Memorials in care of the family for Crete Sacred Heart Church and Tobias Cemetery. Funeral Mass: Friday, 10:00 A.M. Sacred Heart Church, Crete, NE. Rosary: Thursday, 7:00 P.M. Kuncl Funeral Home, Crete. Visitation: Thursday, 5 ? 7 P.M. at the funeral home.
  Person ID	I29986	Strong Family Tree
  Last Modified	28 Jun 2022

  
  

  Father	James Kottas,   b. 18 Aug 1890, Milligan, Fillmore County, Nebraska ,   d. 31 Jul 1968, Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska  (Age 77 years)
  Mother	Rose Uldrich,   b. 22 May 1891, Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska ,   d. Yes, date unknown
  Married	20 Nov 1912	Wilber, Saline County, Nebraska   [1]
  Family ID	F9658	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Helen Rose Stejskal,   b. 4 Jan 1924, Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska ,   d. 11 Mar 2020, Seward, Seward County, Nebraska  (Age 96 years)
  Married	27 Oct 1942	Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California   [2]
  Children	1. Living   2. Living   3. Living   4. Living
  Last Modified	19 Nov 2007
  Family ID	F9662	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Event Map

  Born - 17 Aug 1919 - Saline County, Nebraska Married - 27 Oct 1942 - Hawthorne, Los Angeles County, California Died - 27 Feb 2022 - Nebraska Buried - - Tobias City Cemetery, Tobias, Saline County, Nebraska  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S219] Milligan Centennial History Book Committee HISTORY OF MILLIGAN, NEBRASKA 1888-1988 (Walsworth Publishing, Marceline, MO), p. 365 (Reliability: 3). [S219] Milligan Centennial History Book Committee HISTORY OF MILLIGAN, NEBRASKA 1888-1988 (Walsworth Publishing, Marceline, MO).