OBITUARY

ANTON KUSKA

     Anton Kuska, the son of Thomas and Marie Vavra Kuska was born in Malkov u Lnar, kraj Pisek, Bohemia, December 14, 1852. He died at the family farm home near Milligan, Nebraska, December 9, 1939, at the age of 86 years, 11 months and 25 days. He was the youngest of six children. All of the family but him remained in the Old Country and preceded him in death.

     He grew to manhood in the village where he was born. At an early age he learned the shoemaker's trade from his maternal uncle, John. Upon reaching the age of compulsory military service he entered the Artillery Corps of the army of Emperor Franz Josef I, who was King of Bohemia. Later he was transferred to the Medical Corps from which he received his honorable discharge at Praha, April 11,1881. He was in the army eight years, six months, and ten days. His service in the army took him to various parts of the Austro Hungarian Empire, including Dalmatia and Bosnia-Herzogovinia during the revolutionary troubles there. He was an orderly when a cholera epidemic broke out, and when his officer was stricken he accompanied him to Praha as attendant during convalescence. Part of the time he was with a mobile unit, going from camp to camp cutting shoe patterns. His army service over, he was released from further military duty and emigrated to America.

     Arriving in New York in May, 1881, he went on to Chicago where he remained a few weeks with an uncle before coming to Nebraska. Arriving at Exeter he worked as a shoemaker for a short time. Later he worked on a farm near Milligan.

     On September 17, 1881, he was united in marriage to Alzbeta Kolar who had emigrated to America from the same vesnice in Bohemia at about the same time. To this union were born eight children, seven sons and one daughter.

     The young couple began married life on the Joseph Kotas farm two miles northwest of Milligan. The following year they moved to the present home farm which they had purchased. This remained their home throughout their lives. Here the children grew to manhood and womanhood.

     Mr. Kuska was one of those progressive pioneers from across the sea who came West to build these plains into the vast agricultural empire that it has become. The country was new. New crops and new methods had to be adapted to the new conditions. He planted trees, shade trees and fruit trees of many varieties. The two-acre orchard painstakingly planted and cared for and watered with numberless barrels of water to supplement the scanty rainfall during the droughts of the early days was for years a sight to behold -- the stately trees, laden with fruit, in a lawn of blue grass.

     Until a few years ago one could see on this farm remnant plants of the first alfalfa field in the vicinity planted by him over a half century ago. The alfalfa long withstood the encroachment from an adjoining field on this farm of the now widely grown brome grass which was planted as a new crop in the community at the turn of the century. Kherson oats, Sudan grass, and Kanred wheat, among others found their pioneer home in this community on this farm. These newcomers were welcome and carefully nurtured.

     The many years of toil, often privation, brought a measure of prosperity, Yet, he coveted not wealth or much of what wealth can buy. A believer in progress through education, he denied himself to make it possible for all of his sons to study at the State University.

     When advancing years made it necessary to give up active farming he maintained his health and vigor for many years with his trees and vines, among which the Scythe of Time was wreaking havoc. With nearly all of the earlier plantings gone and he in his eighties he grew a nursery of the fast growing Chinese elm from seed from which the farm again has a sizable windbreak of young trees. In his later years he also took up blacksmithing as a hobby, fashioning various useful tools of iron.

     About three years ago due to failing eyesight and other infirmities of age, he was compelled to give up all activity and remain indoors, and finally practically bedfast. On December 3, he was stricken with the final illness that brought his life to a close.

     He is survived by the daughter, Mrs. Marie Poch of Glengary Township; five sons, Emil Anton of near Exeter, Valentine of Omaha, Joseph Benjamin of Colby Kansas, Henry of Chicago, and Clement who came home two and a half years ago to care for the aged parents; thirteen grand children and a host of other relatives and friends. Two sons, James and George, died in infancy. One grandson, William Earl Kuska passed away two years ago.

     His wife Alzbeta (Kolar) Kuska died on June 24, 1938 at age 78.

     Funeral services were held from the farm home southwest of Milligan on Tuesday, December 12. Charles Smrha delivered the eulogy and Miss Evelyn Frycek and Mr. and Mrs. R. C. Dvorak presented the song service. The pallbears were the five sons and son-in-law. Burial was made in the Bohemian National Cemetary by the side of his wife beneath a blanket of beautiful floral tribucas. Fred Hospodsky had charge of arrangements.

     Among those who were here from out of town to attend the funeral were Mr. and Mrs. Val Kuska of Omaha, Mr. and Mrs. Joe B. Kuska and son of Coby, Kansas, Henry Kuska of Chicago, Donald Kuska of Holdridge, Melvin, George, and Milton Kuska and Helon Poch, all of Lincoln, Mr. and Mrs. Richard Poch of McDonald, Kansas, Virgil Poch and Norman Kuska of Ogalalla, Mr. and Mrs. Frank Murphy of Geneva, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Rehor sr. of Wilber, Mr.and Mrs. J. H. Homolka and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Novak of Wilber, Mr. and Mrs. Adolph Rezabek of Dorchester, Joe Kolar sr. and son of Ravenna, Emma Kuska of Nebraska City, and Katherine Kuska of Davenport, Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Kolar, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Kolar and William Kolar of Wolbach.