John R. “Jack” Kohnke passed away with his family at his side on November 10, 2010, following a brief stay at the Leesburg Memorial Hospital.
Formerly of Hornell, N.Y., Jack was born in Pittston, PA, on December 3, 1923, to Robert Russell Kohnke and Mary Catherine King. He was the oldest of three sons.
Jack graduated from Hornell High School in 1941 and was a member of the Hornell High School Basketball Championship team. He was a long time supporter of the Hornell Alumnae Association. As a youngster, he was active in numerous sports; as a parent, he coached his children in a number of sports over the years.
He served his country during WW II in the United States Navy in the Pacific theater and returned to Hornell after VJ Day. He married Edna A. Bash on February 15, 1947, and together they built the “American Dream.”
A “construction man” from the beginning, his career took him all over the world. He was lifetime member of Associated General Contractors of America and was president of the New York State Chapter in 1973. Employed by S.J. Groves and Sons, he worked his way from being a surveyor to a Chief Estimator and on to retire as a Division Vice President. He loved his work and the accomplishments that came with it.
Jack was preceded in death by his wife Edna, his daughter Martha Kendall, and his brother Raymond.
Jack is survived by his seven living children- Bob, Patricia, John, Mary Ann, Jim, Kris and Karen, his brother Bob of Niagara Falls, a number of grand and great- grand children, and nieces and nephews, too numerous to name. Jack and Edna realized their blessings and were very generous throughout their lives.
A memorial service took place at Hawthorne, Leesburg, and FL on November 15, 2010.
A celebration of Jack and Edna’s lives is scheduled in Hornell this summer around Memorial Day at the Dagon Funeral Home, 38 Church Street, Hornell, NY 14843. Further information as to day & time will be announced as the date approaches.
Jack’s family requests that donations be sent to the Susan G. Koman Breast Cancer Foundation, www.komen.org, Attn: Donor Services, PO Box 650309, Dallas, TX 75265-0309, in lieu of gifts or flowers.
The family would like to thank the folks from around the world who have sent condolences in our father’s honor. Our mother and father truly loved their life’s journey that brought you all into their lives. To the friends and neighbors from, Hornell, Walton, North Syracuse, Liverpool, Minnetonka, Lilburn and especially Hawthorne in Leesburg, we thank you for your keeping them alive with your friendship, correspondences, stories, jokes, thoughts and prayers.
For family information, Mary Ann (Kohnke) McIntyre can be reached by email, maryanninalaska@hotmail.com.