John August Horvatich

John August Horvatich was born on September 30, 1929 on the family farm north of Elkhorn to Frank and Antonia (Urek) Horvatich. He grew up on the farm and attended District #41. As a young boy, John developed his love of baseball, which he continued to play as an adult before moving to fast pitch softball. With his brothers having other obligations and his father’s health failing, John had to quit school to run the farm. John met Agatha Smith at dances at Sokol Hall in South Omaha and they were married on April 30, 1955 at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Elkhorn and they were blessed with three children: Kathryn, Joseph and Cynthia. John and Aggie raised their family on the farm until moving into town in 1979. John farmed on his own before going to work for the Seltz family. Later he worked St. Patrick’s Catholic Church for 18 years, the Eagles and Sempeck Bowling Center. He enjoyed bowling, fishing, bingo, playing pitch, keno and horseshoe. John was active in Rural School District #41 first as a student and later as an active member of the school board while his children attended school there. John loved to dress up as Santa Claus for the District #41 Christmas party and several other local schools and was proud to help coach his son Joe’s baseball team. He loved the neighborhood steak fries during the summer and cooking at the Eagles on Friday nights. He was a life-long member of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Elkhorn as well as a member of the St. Patrick’s Men’s Club, Elkhorn Eagles, Mt. Calvary Cemetery Board and the Omaha Cultural Czech Club. John was a simple, kind and gentle man of great values and ethics, often described as “the comic of the party”. At 85 years old he was still mowing his own lawn, mainly because no one else could do it to his standard. John passed away on April 13, 2015 at Methodist Hospital in Omaha, Nebraska at the age of 85 years, 6 months and 14 days. He was preceded in death by his son Joseph, parents Frank and Antonia Horvatich, brothers Frank and Rudy and numerous in-laws. John is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Agatha; daughters and sons-in-law Kathryn and Kent Mathews and Cynthia and Chuck Ladd; grandchildren Sarah (Adam) Hanna and Nicholas and Madison Ladd. Great grandchildren Wyatt and Willow Hanna and a host of other relatives and friends.

John August Horvatich

September 30, 1929 - April 13, 2015