John Pocivasek

John "Coach" Pocivasek, 92, of Ottawa, died Saturday, March 14, at Ottawa Regional Hospital and Healthcare Center. Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. Columba Church with the Rev. David Kipfer officiating. Burial will be in St. Columba Cemetery with military services. Visitation will be from 3 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at the church with the Knights of Columbus in attendance. Arrangements were entrusted to Ottawa Funeral Home. He was born Aug. 22, 1916, in Peru, to John and Mary (Steinz) Pocivasek. He married Elizabeth "Betty" Jakubiak on Sept. 25, 1948. She died Oct. 12, 1983. He coached football and basketball at St. Bede Academy from 1937 to 1938. He served in the army during World War II from 1942 to 1945. During that time he received a Bronze Star. After serving in the army he attended Quincy College from 1948 to 1951. After college, he was Head Coach of football,basketball,and track at Marquette High School from 1951 to 1975. In 1973, he assisted Marquette to its first ever super-sectional basketball appearance in absence of the head coach. John was the head football, baseball and track and field coach at Marquette High School in Ottawa from 1976 to 1982. He moved on to be the executive director of La Salle County Housing Authority from 1982 to 1990. He was the athletic director for 33 years at Marquette High School in Ottawa during which time he taught sociology, biology, psychology and history. He was executive secretary of the Illinois Valley Conference high school athletics programs. In 1985, he received the Illinois Coaches Associations Award of Recognition. In 1990, he was inducted into the Illinois Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame. He was the grand marshal for the Ottawa Friendship Parade. For 20 years he directed the Marquette High School Christmas Holiday basketball tournament. He was the co-director of Ottawa Recreation for 10 years. In 1951, he started the first Minor League baseball program for boys ages 6 to 10 in Ottawa. John was the coach for the St. Columba Grade School basketball teams on Sundays. He co-chaired on all athletic festivities for Ottawa Friendship Week. He received a certificate of merit from the Ottawa Knights of Columbus. In 1998, Marquette established the John Pocivasek Hall of Fame. He received the Pere Marquette award from the Diocese of Peoria. John also will be inducted into the Illinois Football Coaches Hall of Fame in April . He was a member of St. Columba Church, Catholic War Veterans and St. Bede Alumni. Survivors include four daughters, Karen (Charles) Calligaris of Morris, Georgann (Joseph) Martin of Limon, Colo., Mary (Bill) Dorrington of Princeville and Ann (Joseph) Spika of Ottawa; two sons, John (Mary) of Moline and Tom (Erin) of Utica; 21 grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He was preceded in death by his wife and a brother, Albin. Pallbearers will be John and Tom Pocivasek, Chuck Calligaris, Joe Martin, Bill Dorrington and Joe Spika. Honorary pallbearers will be his grandsons. The family will be establishing a memorial fund in John's name for Marquette High School and St. Columba Church.