LOUIS FRANK SKOKAN AND FAMILY
Louis Frank Skokan was born in Bohemia on March 9, 1878. On February
5, 1901, at the age of 23, he married nineteen-year-old Bozena
“Bessie” L. Tichy. Bessie was the daughter of Anton and Anna (Holan)
Tichy. Later her sister Molly would marry Louis’ brother Frank. Two
cousins, Kvida and Frank V. Tichy, also married into the family.
Tragedy would twice strike the couple. Bessie’s young sister Milada
(1899) pulled a pan of boiling water over and was scalded to death
on January 31, 1901. This was a few days before the marriage of
Louis and Bessie. Years later their only daughter Nora was murdered
by a young man in a “rage of madness.”
Louis and Bessie farmed two miles north of the original Skokan
homestead. Eight children were born to them: Edward, Emil, Louis,
William, George, Nora K., Frank, and Otto.
Bessie died on November 13, 1933. Louis remarried on November 23,
1936, to Anna Julia (Somr) Soucek, a widow with three daughters.
Evelyn, Elaine, and Elsie In March of 1940, Louis and Anna moved to
Niobrara leaving the farming to 22-year-old Frank. Louis passed away
on February 26, 1946, in Yankton, South Dakota. Anna lived on for
many years to be “Grandma” for the twenty Skokan grandchildren. She
died on December 20, 1970.
Some history of the lives of the children of Louis and Bessie Skokan
follows.
Edward Louis was born November 20, 1901. He left the farm in 1924 to
work for the Omaha Public Power District, which he served for 42
years until his retirement in 1966. He is remembered by younger
cousins and townsfolks because of his “flying” trips home in his
bi-plane. “Eddy” had attended flying classes at the Steele Airlines
in North Omaha and was the first man at the school to solo. On
October 31, 1931, he married Frances Catherine Thomsen, a nurse he
met when a friend was hurt in a plane crash. Ed and Frances had three
children: Eleanor, Jean living, Donald Edward living, and Judith Ann
living. Edward died March 12, 1981.
[pg 396 photo Louis Skokan family - taken 1930, back from left:
Father Louis, Edward, Bill, George, Emil, Louis, and Nora; front:
Mother Bessie, Otto, and Frank]
Emil Nathaniel was born August 15, 1905, and the farm did not keep
Emil for long. He, too, ended up in Omaha where he was an early
pioneer in television in the 1920s. Later he would give science
lectures and delve into the theories of evolution and the mysteries
of creation. In 1937 he headed for the Northwest, settling in
Seattle, Washington. On November 4, 1943, he married Marie Hansen
and they had three children: Carol Ann - living, Richard A. -
living,
and Emil N., Jr. - living. In 1955 the family moved permanently to
their summer home on Widbey Island overlooking Puget Sound. There
Emil worked as an electrical contractor until his retirement.
Louis, born January 12, 1910, was unlike his two older brothers;
Louis spent most of his life in Knox County. An active Sokol
gymnast, he performed at the Chicago World’s Fair. On March 4, 1935,
he married Emeline Jelen. Before settling down to farming he worked
with the CCC building cabins at the Niobrara State Park and
traveling much with the U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. By 1941
they had moved to the farm where five children were raised: Phyllis
Ann - living, Larry Wayne - living, Robert Jay -
living, Linda Faye -
living, and Nancy Lou - living. “Louie” was very active in lodge work,
4-H, farm organizations, election board, school board, and he also
played with area dance bands. Louis and Emeline celebrated their
50th Wedding Anniversary in 1985. He was suddenly taken from his
family and community in a tractor accident on January 15, 1986.
William, born May 11, 1912, also demonstrated his skills in
gymnastics at Sokol and performed at the Chicago World’s Fair in
1934. His real interest lay in medicine so he graduated from
Creighton University in 1938 and the Nebraska University College of
Medicine in 1942. During World War II he served as a Navy doctor in
the Pacific. While in the service he married Alison Scurr on June
23, 1945, at Newport, Rhode Island. Bill specialized at the
Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, to become an ear,
nose, and throat doctor. In October, 1949, he became the first
doctor with that specialty in Fort Worth, Texas, where he continued
to practice until his retirement in 1983. Bill and Alison have two
daughters, Nora - living and Sharon Ann - living who was adopted as an
infant.
George, born August 21, 1913, like his brother Louis, spent most of
his life in Knox County and was a very active citizen. On May 15,
1938, he married Evelyn Soucek who bore his four children: Dennis
Dean - living, George Arden - living, Kenneth James -
living, and Mary Ann
- living. After serving in the Navy at the end of World War II, George
was employed by Spelts Lumber Company in Niobrara. He served the
town, county, church, and various fraternal organizations well by
holding many positions of high influence such as county assessor,
mayor, and postmaster until his sudden death in April, 1965.
Nora K., born August 21, 1915, was the only daughter born to Louis
and Bessie. She was born exactly two years after her brother George.
This birthday is also shared with their niece Cindy (daughter of
Otto). According to family members the K. stands for Katherine. Like
some of her brothers, she was active in the Sokols and was
instructor in the girls’ division of gymnastics for over three
years. Nora was brutally taken from her family and friends on
September 10, 1932.
Frank, born July 28, 1917, spent his whole life on the Louis Skokan
family farm. He graduated from Niobrara High School in 1935. After
his father and step-mother moved to town in March of 1940, he stayed
on the farm and still resides there. He never married. As a young
man he was involved with the Sokol gymnastics organization. Frank
received his 50-year membership pin in the WFLA Lodge in February
1983. He has also been a member of the Nebraska Farmers’ Cooperative
Association.
Otto Roland, born living, went to a Grand Island business
school following high school graduation. During World War II he
achieved the rank of 1st Lieutenant in the U. S. Army Air Corps. He
flew 30 missions out of England serving as squadron leader during
the last ten. He married Olga Martinez on February 14, 1945, at
Tampa, Florida. Otto attended the University of Washington in
Seattle and Stanford University at Palo Alto, California, before
settling in Lakeland, Florida. He was employed by a finance company
until his retirement in 1983. Otto is a highly respected and honored
member of his community through his work with Boy Scouts, Sertoma
and Knights of Columbus. He is especially involved with handicapped
citizens because of his “special” daughter Cindy Diane living who
was born with Downs Syndrome. Their other two children are Mark
Roland living and Karyl Marie living.
Pages
396, 397
