John Herbert Kopecky

KOPECKY DUTRO ALLISON

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 4/12/2010 at 14:40:14

Sioux City Journal
18 January 2003

John Herbert Kopecky, 92, of Sioux City died Friday, Jan. 17, 2003, at a Sioux City hospital.

Services will be 2 p.m. Monday at Westminster Presbyterian Church, with the Rev. Richard Francis officiating. Burial will be in Memorial Park Cemetery. Visitation will be 4 to 8 p.m. today, with the family present 6 to 8 p.m. and a Masonic service at 7 p.m., at Christy-Smith Morningside Chapel. Visitation will resume hour prior to the service Monday at the church.

Mr. Kopecky was born Nov. 15, 1910, in Mason City, Iowa, the son of John and Hazel (Dutro) Kopecky. He was raised in Mason City, graduating from Mason City High School in 1929. After high school he was a dance band musician until 1940, when he continued his education at Morningside College, graduating with a BME degree in 1955. He taught high school and junior high school for 25 years in smaller towns in the Sioux City area.

John married Evelyn Allison on Oct. 5, 1933, at Mason City. He performed 15 years with the National Champion Monahan Post Band of Sioux City and many more years with the Karl King Band of Fort Dodge, Iowa, and the Eddie Skeets Band. He was a music contest judge over the years for high school and junior high contests.

John was a member of the Eagles, Masons, was a Shriner, where he played in the band, and was a lifetime member of the Musicians Union.

Survivors include his wife, Evelyn of Sioux City; a daughter-in-law, Beverly Kopecky of Lindstrom, Minn.; a brother, Cyril Kopecky of Gainesville, Fla; two sisters, Rosalyn and her husband, Donald Ames of Fremont, Neb., and Mildred and her husband, Frank Thompsen of Clear Lake, Iowa; eight grandchildren; 17 great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, John D.; a brother, Richard; and two sisters, Pauline and Antoinette.

Memorials may be directed to the Meredith Willson Foundation in Mason City.