Kenneth Kozak

Kenneth Jacob Kozak, Oconto Falls, died Friday evening, Oct. 31, 2014, at the age of 74 at home, surrounded by his family. He was born Oct. 6, 1940, in Kewaunee to Jacob and Ruth (LeCloux) Kozak Jr. Ken graduated from Kewaunee High School in 1958 and then enlisted in the Navy. Most of his tour was in the naval weather service on an airfield in Southern California. He worked for Whirlpool Corporation in St. Paul, Minnesota, and Benton Harbor, Michigan. Ken was part of the engineering group that designed dishwashers. He attended and graduated magna cum laude with a degree in business administration from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Ken moved to Oshkosh after graduation and was the manager of library furniture for the Buckstaff Co. Then he moved to Oconto Falls to become the operations manager for the Scott Paper Co., Forest Chemical Products and, in 1976, formed his own company. Ken was president of KBM Corp. from its start-up date in 1976 until retirement in 2011. Community involvement included being on St. Anthony’s Parish Council, St. Anthony’s School Board, serving as president of Home & School Association, City of Oconto Falls Water & Light Commission and the library board when the new library was built in Oconto Falls. Ken enjoyed working with kids and coached boys and girls basketball from fourth to eighth grades for 13 years for St. Anthony’s School. Survivors are his wife of 48 years, Barbara; one daughter, Michelle (Mark) Riemer; four grandchildren, Dakotah Riemer, Kyle Yurek, Hunter and Kenley Riemer; two brothers, Larry (Trudy) Kozak and James Kozak; two sisters, Jeanne (James) Mueller and Mary (Dale) Robinson; many nieces, nephews and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, Jacob Jr. and Ruth (LeCloux) Kozak; his maternal grandparents, Charles and Carrie (LeCloux) Novotny; and his paternal grandparents, Jakob and Caroline (Schweiner) Kozak. Visitation will be held from 3-7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7, at Jones Funeral Service in Oconto Falls, with a 6:30 p.m. prayer service. Visitation will continue at St. Anthony Catholic Church after 9 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 8, until the time of service. Mass of Christian Burial will take place at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the church with the Rev. Joel Sember officiating. Burial will take place in Holy Rosary Cemetery, Kewaunee. In lieu of other expressions of sympathy, memorials may be made to St. Anthony Catholic School.