Person:William Kozelka (1)

From the May 28, 1986, edition of the Postville (IA) Herald

William Kozelka

William Kozelka of Postville died May 20 at the Good Samaritan Center here.

A funeral mass was held Friday at St. Bridget Catholic Church in Postville. The Rev. Paul Otting officiated.

The mass servers were Dan Sadler and Steve Schlee. The Schutte Funeral Home of Postville was in charge of arrangements.

Interment was in the Calvary Cemetery, Prairie du Chien, WI.

Casket bearers: Thomas Kozelka, Richard Kozelka, George Kucera, Reuben Tayek, Donald Tayend Durwood Schutta.

William Frank Kozelka, son of Thomas and Josephine (Kotera) Kozelka, was born July 8, 1887, in Crawford County, WI.

He spent his boyhood days on a farm in Crawford County, where he attended a rural school. At the age of 16, he moved to Prairie du Chien, where he learned the shoe repairing business. His father purchased a blacksmith and wagon shop where Bill worked for 4 years painting wagons.

He went to Stoughton, WI, where he was employed in a shoe factory as an apprentice for six months, returning to Prairie du Chien to paint barns and houses. During this time he played the cornet in a dance band in his home area.

Early in 1911, he opened a shoe store in Postville which he operated for 41 years, retiring in 1952.

On Aug. 1, 1911, he was married to Elizabeth Tayek at St. Patrick's Catholic Church in Monona. They had 2 children.

He is preceded in death by his wife Elizabeth, who died in 1959, a daughter, Eileen Willard, who died in 1946, 3 brothers, Albert, Henry and Emmanuel and 4 sisters, Mary (Mrs. William Henry), Agnes (Mrs. Joseph Kucera), and Rose and Alvina Kozelka.

Surviving are a son, Edward, Postville, a granddaughter Gail of Olympia, WA, 2 great-grandchildren, a brother, Ralph, Prairie du Chien, WI, and several nieces and nephews.

He was a member of St. Bridget Catholic Church and the Postville City Band. For many years he had been active in bowling and in 1964 was elected to the Bowling Hall of Fame.