Stanley Marvin Kosek

Stanley Marvin Kosek, age 92, of La Grange Park, Illinois, formerly of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, died February 14, 2025 at La Grange Hospital, La Grange, Illinois after a brief illness. A visitation and funeral service will be held on Friday, March 7, 2025 at First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Visitation will be from 9:30-10:45 a.m. followed by a funeral service at 11 a.m. A luncheon will be served at the church following the funeral service. A private interment at Cedar Memorial Park Cemetery Mausoleum Corridor of Hope will follow the luncheon .

Survivors include his wife of 66 years, Betty Kosek of La Grange Park, Illinois, formerly of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, a son Brian Kosek of Oak Park, Illinois and a daughter Diane Kosek of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He was preceded in death by his parents Frank and Rose Kosek, his older brother Paul Kosek and his twin brother Rodney Kosek who died in infancy.

Stanley was born on September 30, 1932 in Fremont, Nebraska, the son of Frank and Rose (Pavlicek) Kosek. He and his family later moved to Lincoln, Nebraska and then to Omaha, Nebraska. In 1946, he and his family moved to Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He graduated from Wilson High School in 1950. He then earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Coe College, graduating in 1954. He served in the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1957 as a 1st Lieutenant at the Osceola Air Force General Radar Surveillance Station, Osceola, Wisconsin during the Korean conflict.

Stanley married Betty Stamp on August 10, 1958, in Elvira, Iowa outside of Clinton, and they made their home in Cedar Rapids. Stan worked for Square D Company (now Schneider Electric) in Cedar Rapids for 31 years, retiring as a buyer in 1991. He was a 66 year member of First Lutheran Church where he enjoyed singing in the adult choir. He was a member of the National Czech & Slovak Museum where he was a volunteer. Stan enjoyed nights out dancing with Betty as a member of the Congenial Hundred Dance Club. He enjoyed owning, restoring and driving various antique cars including a 1923 Ford Model T.

In retirement, Stan enjoyed doing watercolor and oil painting. He also enjoyed scratch building working scale models of antique gas hit-and-miss engines out of raw metal and was a member of the Midwest Antique Gas Engine and Tractor Association. He enjoyed traveling to antique tractor and engine shows throughout the Midwest where he exhibited his working model engines and accessories for the crowds to marvel. Stan also enjoyed doing landscaping work in his yard and trying to keep the deer from eating his hostas.

Stan and Betty moved from Cedar Rapids to Plymouth Place Senior Living in La Grange Park, Illinois in 2022 and together enjoyed the social activities and good food at the community. They also enjoyed many outings together to their son Brian and his partner Jim’s country farm retreat near Three Oaks, Michigan.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to First Lutheran Church, Cedar Rapids, Iowa, the National Czech & Slovak Museum and Library, or a charity of the donor’s choice.