Norma Jean Kozisek

Norma Jean (Matthies) Kozisek, 91, of David City, Nebraska passed away peacefully on Saturday, February 4th at St. Joseph's Villa in David City. Norma was born in Walnut, Iowa on March 29, 1931 to John H. and Hazel (Spangler) Matthies. She grew up on a large family farm near Walnut, which was a strong German community, and spent a large portion of her life living with and caring for her grandpa, John W. Matthies. Norma attended Walnut High School and graduated in 1949. After high school she began nursing school at Mercy School of Nursing in Council Bluffs where she met her life-long best friend Eleanor (McDonald) Eller. She was taught by the school nuns and together with her friendship with Eleanor, Norma Jean converted to Catholicism. After nursing school, she was a Registered Nurse in the Omaha/Council Bluffs area for 10+ years. In 1965, Norma met the love of her life, LaVerne Kozisek, and they were married on October 2, 1965. They began life on the farm in the David City area and had six sons, including a set of twins that passed away shortly after birth. Norma's greatest loves in life were her faith, her family, and taking care of others. She was an active member of St. Mary's Church and was a long-time member of the Parish Council of Catholic Women (PCCW), the Seminarian Club and the Altar Society and she served on the St. Mary's Parish Council and served as the president of the St. Mary's school board. After her boys were raised, Norma went back to nursing and began working as a Registered Nurse at St. Joseph's Villa and then the David Place. In addition to nursing, she loved being a grandma to not only her own grandkids but many children in the community. After retirement from the David Place, Norma continued lovingly nursing her husband by performing home dialysis for him for 14 years. Norma loved living in Nebraska but her first home was always Walnut, Iowa where everybody knew her as Norma Jean. She was extremely close with her Iowa family, and especially her sister Maude and her brother Fred. She was thrilled every time she got to go back to Iowa to see her siblings, in-laws, and nieces and nephews. Norma is survived by sons Patrick (Shannon), James (Cheryl), Christopher (Nancy), and Brian (Mistyn) all of David City; grandchildren Adam Miller and Emily Kozisek, Kinsey, Madison, Caden, and Gretchen Kozisek, Lucas Kozisek, Jacey (Brendan) Napier, Kendra Kozisek, Julie Humlicek, Faith Kozisek, Curtis Humlicek, and William Kozisek; one great-grand-daughter, Mia Barry; honorary son Christopher Kroesing of David City; a brother Fred Matthies of Atlantic, IA, a sister-in-law, Maxine Bredahl of Columbus; brother-in-law Gene (Claudia) Kozisek of Garden City, MO, sister-in-law Betty Kozisek of David City; and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband of 55 years, LaVerne, her parents, two infant sons Mark and Michael, one sister and brother-in-law Maude (Joe) Ausdemore, sister-in-law Gertie Matthies, mother-in-law and stepfather-in-law Rose (Husak Kozisek) and Peter Schmit, brother-in-law Bill Kozisek, brother-in-law Roger Bredahl, and two nephews William Kozisek and Stanley Matthies.