Kenneth Raymond Kotek

Ken died last Wednesday afternoon, Nov. 28th at the Lakeside Nursing Home in Pine City.  He was 93 years old. Kenneth was born on the family farm to Joseph and Anna (Basta) Kotek.  When he was 5 years old, his father Joseph died.  At that time Ken and his mother moved into the town of Pine City and he began attending the Pine City school.  He was a good student, especially in the mathematical area.  He also began playing the trumpet while in grade school.  As he moved on to high school Kenneth became a member of the student council and he started playing trumpet in the brass quartet. He along with several others started a band called "The Swing Kings". In 1937, Kenneth graduated from Pine City High School and moved with his mother back to the family farm where he began farming.  He continued to play trumpet with "The Swing Kings". In 1942, Kenneth married Bessie Smetana.  They both worked long hours (about 120 hours each week) on the family dairy farm.  They were also blessed with three children:  Leslie, Larry, and Marilyn.  While farming Kenneth also became the treasurer of school district #30, a board member of the Pine City Cooperative for several years, a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church where he was an usher for a period of time.  Kenneth also enjoyed working in the farm forest where he cut wood for the house furnace until he was well into the 80's.  Family was very important to him.  He will be missed by his family very much. Kenneth is survived by his wife Bessie, children: Les Kotek and his wife Margi of Champlin, Dr. Larry Kotek of Vadnais Heights, Marilyn Kotek of Vadnais Heights; grandchildren: Eric Kotek of Crystal, Sarah Favour and her husband Joe of St. Louis Park, Nicole Pazahanick and her husband Jeff of Bloomington, Bridget Menke and her husband Matt of Minneapolis; great grandchildren: Ryan, Ethan and Jacob Favour, Alex, Carter and Andrew Pazahanick, and Max and Charlie Menke. He is preceded in death by his parents Joseph & Anna Kotek, and infant brother William. Monsignor Aleksander Suchan will celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 4, 2012 at Immaculate Conception Church in Pine City. Visitation will take place on Monday evening at the Swanson Funeral Chapel from 5-7 p.m. with a prayer service at 6:45 p.m., and one hour prior to the funeral service at 9:30 a.m. at the church on Tuesday. Arrangements for Kenneth Kotek are entrusted to the Funeral and Cremation Service * Swanson Chapel ~ Pine City Minnesota