- Deceased's name: Mary Koktavy
- Age: 89
- Date: Dec. 20, 2012
Mary Koktavy, age 89, of Northfield, passed away on Thursday, December 20, 2012 at the Reflections Suites on the Three Links Campus.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, December 27, 2012 at 10:30 am from the Church of St. Dominic’s in Northfield. Burial will take place at Calvary Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, December 26, 2012 from 3 to 7 pm at the Bierman Funeral Home in Northfield and on Thursday one hour prior to the funeral mass at church.
Mary Lillian Koktavy was born on August 14, 1923 in Lonsdale, Minnesota, the eldest daughter of Frank and Mary (Pinc) Trnka. She attended schools in Dundas and Northfield. On November 4, 1941, she was united in marriage to James (Jim) Koktavy. She was a longtime member of the Church of St. Dominic in Northfield.
For the first ten years of their marriage they lived and worked with Jim’s parents near Lonsdale. In 1952, they purchased their long time farm west of Northfield on Highway 19. Here they raised their family and farmed for many years. Mary also worked at the Culligian Café and St. Olaf College of Northfield and eventually retired from St. Olaf College.
Mary enjoyed spending her time outdoors, sitting in the shade watching the traffic go by with her faithful dog “Scooter,” and with a peaceful, “take your time” attitude. For years she enjoyed preparing family recipes, from memory, of dumplings, soups, kolaches, breads and many other Czech foods for her family. Most recently, she loved having her nails painted by her granddaughter, Marian.
Mary is survived by her daughters, Arlene Kruse and husband Gary of Northfield, Gerri Specken of Northfield Mary Larson and fiancé Steve Beach of Goodlettesville, Tennessee, Lucy Koktavy of Faribault; sons, Robert and his wife Marlene Koktavy of Faribault, Raymond and his wife Denise Koktavy of Nerstrand; 19 grandchildren, 31 great-grandchildren, her sisters, Martha Peters, Lorraine Rhone and Anna Trnka; brother, Frank Trnka. She was preceded in death by her husband, Jim; son, Richard; her parents, Frank and Mary Trnka; her sisters, Lillian Justice, Dorothy Smith, Grace Smith and Bonnie Seitz; and brother, Richard Trnka.
Funeral arrangements are by the Bierman Funeral Home in Northfield.