Kenneth W. Dostal

Dostal, Kenneth W. Mar 30, 1940 – Jan 12, 2016

We are THANKFUL to have had Dad in our lives…….He was not only husband, father, and grandfather ,…. but also teacher, coach, and motivator……he did it ALL for our family.  God has definitely BLESSED US.

Dad’s attributes included strong work ethic and eternal optimism even to the last week of his life. The glass was always half full and not half empty.

Ken was the 4^th of 11 children, born to café owner Leon and homemaker Mayme in Scribner, NE.  As a child, he worked in the café and had many adventures with his brothers.  He played football, basketball, and track in high school, including a 50 second 440, which was 5^th place All-Class at the State Track meet.  At 6 foot 6 inches, he was the biggest and fastest guy on the football team playing on the line, but his buddies thought they would have won more games if they would have let Kenny carry the ball.   He carried the family trait of severe near sightedness and had to play football without glasses, but still made the tackle anyway.  He experienced a huge thrill with beating his guy on the line and storming into the backfield to make a tackle, as it made him feel fast and free.  He told Shawn recently “Boy, I loved that!”  Dad, you can have that in heaven where we know you are running free again.

He left home at age 18 for UNL, where he had a full ride scholarship to play football. After one year, he transferred to Peru State College.  At  Peru, he met his soulmate, Lee Christen.  He was the football star and she was the homecoming queen.   After college, Ken and Lee moved to Lincoln to start their teaching careers.  Ken and Lee were married February 2, 1963 on a shoestring, with no diamond ring and had to pay back college loans.  Ken and Lee both worked very hard to pay the bills.  During early marriage years, Ken was a teacher by day and semi-pro Omaha Mustangs football player in the evenings from 1964-68.  He was offered a contract to play with the Denver Broncos.  He turned it down because they were expecting their first child, and did not think that would be a stable way to earn a living.     Three children arrived within three years.  After his Mustang career ended, he taught high school at Omaha Tech and often worked night jobs to support his family.  These extra jobs included lugging beef in a South Omaha packing plant and working on the dock for Yellow Freight Trucking Company.  In his summer free time, he received grants to obtain graduate safety training at University of California-Berkeley, Central Missouri State-Warrensburg, and Colorado State University.  The family loved the travels to these places as well as annual trips to the Kearney Ramada Inn pool for Driver’s Ed Convention and World’s of Fun in Kansas City.

Ken moved his young family to west Omaha at 117^th and Center in 1968.  By 1972, Ken and Lee’s family had increased to five children.  Ken became involved in nearby Mary Our Queen Parish, including helping start their athletic programs.  The Mary Our Queen mascot became the Mustangs in honor of his prior team the Omaha Mustangs.  He helped coach his kids in track and football.  He continued to do odd jobs to supplement his income, such as running a yard service.  The boys had great times with Dad driving around in the 76 Chevy and tilling gardens with the Gravely tractor.   For their efforts, they were rewarded with a huge butterscotch malt at Goodrich Dairy.

In 1978, Ken and Lee achieved their dream of returning to their farming roots by purchasing an acreage in Gretna, Nebraska. They planted over 500 trees and built a house on the 5 acre lot about 1 mile west of town.  This allowed Ken room to expand his toy collection, including restored 1929 Ford truck, John Deere tractor, 3 wheeler, golf cart, and numerous driving school cars. He became involved in developing the athletic facilities and programs at Gretna High School, including starting the annual Knights of Columbus Track meet.  He was also active as a discus official at the Nebraska State Track Meet for 26 years.  He really enjoyed attending all of his kid’s high school sporting events including football, basketball, track, and volleyball.  We could always hear him cheering on the sidelines “Go D!” which meant “Go Defense!”

With a lot of mouths to feed and bills to pay, he took a big chance by starting All-Metro Driving School in 1980.  Starting a new business was tough with accounting in the red the first year. We always told him how proud we were of him that he worked hard every day to make it into a successful business!  In addition to running his Driver’s Ed school, Dad’s daily routine was to read daily scriptures.  He continually strengthened his faith and found peace by doing this………one of the many ways he LEAD by his actions.  He always gave his kids booklets and asked them to read them to strengthen their faith and become closer to God.  A scripture that best described Dad’s faith was to “walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Cor 5:7).

After the last child graduated high school, Ken and Lee got a Suzuki Side Kick and could frequently be seen cruising around town with their hair flapping in the breeze and enjoying the company of their friends. They had more time to do things they loved, such as road trips to watch football teams their sons played on (Kearney, Nebraska, Wyoming and Iowa State).  They also enjoyed many trips to Okoboji including stopping for ice cream in Le Mars, steaks at the top of Snowy  Range mountain in Wyoming, and 1999 Family Reunion at Rocky Mountain National Park.  They ventured further to Alaska, Italy, and Hawaii and had a fantastic time.  But their favorite place was HOME, sitting on the driveway together with a cold beer and watching the sun set.

In 2013, they celebrated 50 years of marriage with a big celebration in the St. Patrick’s Parish Center. The kids gift to them was a trip to a Notre Dame football game, which they immensely enjoyed.  Kneeling at the Notre Dame grotto, they felt the presence of Jesus and Mary.

In the last few months of his life, Mom and each of the kids had many great talks with Dad. We are thankful to have had moments to re-live memories, share laughs, and say we loved each other.

Mom, we love you so much.  Thank you for taking such great care of Dad for over 50 years.  You have countless wonderful memories together.  Among them, all the football and basketball road trips, weekly trips to church and praying together at night. They would hold hands and  say the Our Father and Hail Mary.  Mom, you were a pillar of strength in guiding and caring for him through his illness, including helping him realize when enough was enough and it was all in God’s hands.

Thank you ALL for being with us through this difficult time.  Your cards, food, caring words and visits to the house have truly helped us.  Thank you so very much for the LOVE you have given.

It gives us peace to remember the GOOD TIMES with our Dad…….and the ways he touched our lives.  We are peaceful to know that our Dad’s pain is gone.  We will be together again.  We love you Dad……….thank you for being OUR Dad.

Dad spent his whole life taking care of us. At the end of his life, we were happy we could return the love.  Shawn felt really bonded to Dad as he regularly shaved him.  On his last evening, all of us watched the national championship game with Dad.  Sandi and Scott used lotion to massage Dad’s hands and feet, as we knew he liked that .  Shawn gave Dad a shave at half time which he seemed to enjoy and he was looking really dapper. He was surrounded by love, comfort, and football.   Go “D”!

Visitation Friday 5-7 PM with Vigil Service 7 PM at St. Patrick Catholic Church 508 Angus Street Gretna, Nebraska. Funeral Mass Saturday (1/16/16) 10:00 AM at St. Patrick Catholic Church 508 Angus Street Gretna, Nebraska. Interment Holy Sepulchre Cemetery at  Gretna, Nebraska In Lieu of Flowers Memorials to St. Patrick Catholic Church or Gretna Neighbors Association.