Emil Koval

EMIL KOVAL

Cedar Rapids

Emil J. Koval deceased Oct. 1, 2014, at St. Luke's Hospital from sudden cardiac arrest. Emil lived at The Meth-Wick Community for the past two years in Cedar Rapids. Funeral services will be at St. Paul's United Methodist Church at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8. The Rev. Lloyd Brockmeyer will officiate. Entombment, with military rites, will be at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery. Friends may call at Cedar Memorial Park Funeral Home from 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Survivors include his wife, Jeanette (Jan); two sons, John Frederick Koval and Rob Frederick Kishiue-Koval, his wife, Susan, and their son, Kazuma (Kaz) Kishiue-Koval.

Emil was preceded in death by his wife, Alice Frederick Koval; his mother, Monika Sumik Koval; and his father, John Koval.

Emil was born in Hastings, Pa., on April 13, 1927. He attended Lynch, Neb., High School and was valedictorian of his class. He was a high school athlete and participated in football, basketball and track. He also was a spelling bee champion in Boyd County, Neb. He read just about every book in the Lynch, Neb., Library. Schooling came easy to him. He had a Bachelor of Science degree, a Master of Science mechanical degree and an MBA. He attended the University of Nebraska (Regent Scholarship), University of Iowa and Iowa State University classes. He belonged to two honorary fraternities: Sigma Tau and Pi Tau Si.

He worked at Collins Radio for 29 years as a mechanical engineer manager. He was very involved in the Apollo Project and stated he only wished that he could tell his old science teacher that he was partially responsible for getting a radio to the moon!

Emil's first love was farming, and he loved the land. He particularly loved living in Lynch, Neb. Emil farmed for 10 years when his severe allergies and asthma put an end to his farming, other than renting out his farmland. He has received the Sioux City Journal Award for Conservative Farming.

Emil was drafted in 1945, released from service at the end of World War II, and recalled to service from 1951 to 1952, with the Army Conflict/60th Engineering Topographic Unit. Emil and his son, Robert Kishiue-Koval, were scheduled to go on the honorary veterans flight to Washington, D.C., in just a few short weeks.

Emil was fluent in Czech, Slovak and Russian languages. He studied Russian while he was in the Army and at the University of Iowa.

Emil was a member of the Kum Disciples class at St. Paul's United Methodist Church, the American Legion at Lynch, Neb., National Czech & Slovak Museum & Library, and an active member in many retiree engineering groups.

He established scholarships in the College of Engineering at the University of Iowa, the University of Nebraska and at Iowa State Teachers College (UNI).

Emil Koval was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. His memory will be cherished by all who knew and loved him.

Please leave a message or tribute to the Koval family on the website www.cedarmemorial.com under Obituaries.

Any memorials are to be directed to St. Paul's United Methodist Church or to the Czech museum in Cedar Rapids.