KOTALIK, Emil J. (Major)

The Arizona Republic, Phoenix, Arizona Monday, April 7, 2003 Major Emil J. Kotalik, USAF, Ret., age 73, died April 5, 2003 at his residence in Phoenix. Major Kotalik was born in Yonkers, New York, October 10, 1929. He graduated from Charles E. Gorton High School in Yonkers in 1947 and then enlisted in the New York State National Guard in 1948. He was appointed Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force Reserve in May of 1953 after completing flight training in Waco, Texas. While stationed at Suffolk County Air Base in Long Island, New York, he met and later married his wife, Stella, in September 1956. In January of 1958, he received an appointment to the regular Air Force flying the F-86 D Sabre jet. He was stationed in New Foundland, Ontario, Canada and several domestic postings including Cape Cod, Massachusetts. His last assignment was senior SAGE radar systems analyst at Luke Air Force Base west of Phoenix. He served honorably for 27 years, and retired in 1975. After retirement, he pursued a degree in science at Grand Canyon University and later completed the MBA and MPA programs at ASU. He was a lector at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church and was active in St. Vincent de Paul. He was a loving husband and devoted father and grandfather. He is survived by Stella, his wife of 46 years, his two brothers, John and Vincent, seven children, Karen, E.J., Karl, Robert, Susan, Nancy and Ken and six grandchildren, Elizabeth, Andrew, Ethan, OLivia, Mia and Chloe. Visitation will be held Tuesday from 6-8 pm at Hansen Mortuary, 8314 N. 7th Street in Phoenix. The funeral mass will be celebrated Wednesday at 11:00 am at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church, 8620 N. 7th Street in Phoenix. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the St. Vincent de Paul Society or the parish of Most Holy Trinity. Courtesy of Pat Wilson.