Memorials › Herman Jesse “Skee” Kozelski

Herman Jesse “Skee” Kozelski

16 Apr 1904 – 6 Jun 1967

Birth16 Apr 1904
Death6 Jun 1967
CemeterySaint Marys Catholic Cemetery
West , McLennan County , Texas , USA
Added byDoreen Morelli on 14 Feb 2010
FaGhttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/36141488

Bio

H.J. Kozelski, Leading Citizen Dies; Last Rites Held Thursday H.J. (Skee) Kozelski, 63, president of the West School Board for the past 12 years and an active civic, religious, and business leader, died at 2:55 a.m. Tuesday, June 6, in a Waco hospital. Rosary was recited at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Kotch Funeral Chapel in West. Requiem mass was celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in St. Mary’s Church of the Assumption. Rev. George Doskocil officiated. Burial was in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Mr. Kozelski operated Kozelski Motors, the Ford dealership in West. It was exactly 21 years ago Tuesday that he opened the business. He gave more than 30 years of service to West public schools. During this time, he served as a teacher, coach, principal, and superintendent. He was elected to the school board in 1949 and served as secretary to the board for a time. In 1955, he was elected president of the board, and served as president until his death. “Skee” will long be remembered as a champion of the youth of the community. Mr. Kozelski underwent major surgery two months ago, and had been making satisfactory recovery until last week, when he became ill. He was taken to the hospital early last Friday morning. He was born in Meyersville and educated in public schools at Yorktown. He moved to West as a school teacher and coach in the fall of 1929 after graduation from Trinity University. He had received a bachelor of science degree from Trinity, and in 1943 received a master of science degree from Baylor University. After five years at West he submitted his resignation in July of 1934 to accept a teaching-coaching job in the Cuero schools. At that time, the West News paid tribute to him for his contributions. The News said: “Mr. Kozelski has made an enviable record as a teacher in the local school and as coach of the football team. The boys of the school, under his tutelage, have come year after year to be one of the most feared aggregations in this district from the standpoint of clean, hard football. Each year the team has made a great record. It has always been in the running for the championship.” Kozelski’s teams were scrappy and colorful with quarterbacks who called out signals in Czech which was understood by players from West but not by their opponents. He was an avid sports enthusiast and gave his full support and backing to St. Mary’s Mustangs, West High Trojans, and Texas Longhorns. He received several awards and citations for his support of the local athletic teams. In the next few years, he taught and coached in Cuero, worked for Ford Motor companies in Kilgore, Atlanta, Tyler, and Jefferson, and worked with Universal Credit Association in Waco. He returned to West in the fall of 1939 as head coach and principal of West High School. From the fall of 1942 until June of 1946, he served as superintendent of West schools. As the West Ford dealer, he served two three-year terms as director of the Dallas district, Ford dealers advertising fund group, and was president of the group for one year. He won several free trips and numerous awards from Ford for his outstanding sales and dealership. He was a member of the West Volunteer Fire Department; the Kiwanis Club, Knights of Columbus Council 2305 of West, Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, Msgr. J.J. Kearns Waco Assembly, and Waco Chapter of Serra International. He was a director of Catholic Charities of the Austin Diocese, and was on the building committee of West Catholic Church. Surviving are his wife, Lillian; two brothers, Willie Kozelski and Raymond Kozelski, both of Yorktown; two sisters, Miss Rosa Kozelski of Yorktown and Mrs. Lucille Muzik of El Campo; and several nieces and nephews. Pallbearers were: M.F. Kruse, Ed Sykora, Derrell Carlisle, Jerome Lednicky, Sr., all of West; H.E. Bennett and Harry King of Waco; Dick Scott of Mexia, and Steve Krammer of Houston. Honorary pallbearers were members of the West School Board, Waco Serra Club and West Fire Department. The West News, West, Texas, Volume 77, No. 7, Edition 1, Friday, June 9, 1967, page 1

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