Leo Edward Koss (1930-2020)

KOSS, NAVRATILOVA, ADAMS

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 9/3/2020 at 11:26:00

Leo Koss
January 19, 1930 - August 29, 2020

Leo Edward Koss, 90, of Fairfax, formerly of Cedar Rapids, died Saturday, August 29, 2020, in his daughter’s home. Private Celebration of Life services will be on Wednesday, September 9, 2020, at Brosh Chapel and The Avacentre in Cedar Rapids, located at 2121 Bowling Street SW. Public Graveside services will be at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday at St. Patrick’s Catholic Cemetery in Fairfax. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, September 8, 2020, at Brosh Chapel. The family has requested everyone attending to wear a mask and practice social distancing.

Leo was born January 19, 1930, in Cedar Rapids, the son of Edward A. and Mary (Navratil) Koss. He was united in marriage to the love of his life, Arlene Adams, on August 21, 1950, at the First Lutheran Church in Cedar Rapids. They met at a dance and continued to dance through life. Over the years they attended many dances where they met many lifelong friends and especially enjoyed listening and dancing to Barefoot Becky. In their earlier years they enjoyed taking a Sunday drive to enjoy the Iowa countryside. They also enjoyed traveling to many states over the years and even a cruise. Leo and Arlene were blessed with 67 years of marriage.

Leo loved his job at Linn Co-op Oil Co, where he worked for 39 years. Most people love to retire, he cried. He became friends with so many of his customers. He farmed on the side and loved working the ground and having livestock. After retirement, Terry Brosh asked him to work at Brosh Funeral Home, where he worked for 12 years and again enjoyed all the people, he crossed paths with there. He always took such pride in all of his jobs with a smile on his face.

A niece wrote these things about her Uncle Leo, which pretty much sums up what the nieces, nephews and his family felt. “As a child, I remember his leg lock squeeze tickle sessions at family gatherings, his delivering gas to the farm and more importantly our choice of gum (Wrigley’s Spearmint, Doublemint, or Juicy Fruit behind his seat), which he gave to all the kids on his route and the opportunity to ride along with him in the big truck. Other remembrances, his offering a pop or beer as soon as we walked through their door, learning a few Czech words from him, your mom and dad dancing (of course with coordinated outfits), his sly smile, gentle soul, kind heart, and how he ONLY said good things of others. Probably one of the kindest men I’ve ever met or will ever meet! I will always love Uncle Leo, truly one of a kind!” His granddaughter wrote how she will miss him saying, “How’s my sweetie?” He truly loved all of his family and he will be so missed. We all know he is in a better place, for these past several years he has not been well, but never did he complain.

Leo is survived by his daughter Jan (Ray) Zamastil of Fairfax; his grandchildren Christina (Kenny) Slaton, Sherry (Beau) Sakshaug, Dan (Brandi) Zamastil and Pat (Haley) Zamastil; great grandchildren Mackenzie (Cole) Herb, Briona, Danica and Huxley Slaton, Clay, Leo and Nola Zamastil, Crew Johnson, and Holden and Piper Zamastil; great-great grandchildren Emersyn and Elliette Herb; his sisters-in-law Lorraine Spidle and Marilyn Fergus; as well as his nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife Arlene, his two infant daughters Judy and Kathy, his sister Lillian (Carl) Schminke, and a brother-in-law Everett Spidle.

Thank you so much to Colonial Manor of Amana for all the wonderful care you gave Dad over the years. You were our second family along with the residents and their families.

Thank you to Essence of Life Hospice for making all the arrangements to bring dad home, so we had time with him before his passing. That meant the world to us.

Memorials may be directed to the family.

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