Obituaries

Born in Carlstadt NJ, Don Kouba was the youngest of three children of Oscar and Mary Kouba. After high school he enlisted in the Navy and served in the Korean war as a medic aboard the USS-Glynn. After the war, Don met his sweetheart, Patti, at Montclair State College. They settled in New Jersey to raise their three beloved children: Wendy, Kim and David.

Don was a school principal in Leonia, NJ for 35 years, a job he relished spending each day working with children and surrounded by teachers dedicated to improving the lives of their students.

He also loved donuts. Despite Patti's constant attempts to keep him on a healthy diet, he was known to sneak a donut or a slice of cake, usually from one of his children. Sorry, Mom.

An avid sports fan, he grew up playing baseball and basketball. A Brooklyn Dodgers fan as a kid, his favorite player was Jackie Robinson. After his Dodgers left for Los Angeles though, he became a lifelong New York Mets fan -- for better or for worse (usually worse). Unfortunately he was also a Jets fan and a Knicks fan. While Don Kouba was indeed a great man, he was certainly not great at picking winning sports teams to follow.

In retirement he became active in Kiwanis and picked up golf. Don enjoyed many days on the links in New Jersey with the 'Pomona gang'. Patti and Don soon became snowbirds, and for the next 25 years, spent winters surrounded by great friends in Ormond Beach, Florida, playing bocce and golf and having many fun evenings out to dinner with their friends.

His greatest love, though was his family. He is survived by Patti, his wife of 67 years and his three children, son- and daughter- in-law and his grandchildren: Kendall, Carson, Maya, Nicholas, Maxwell, Violet, Ivy, Oskar and Hugo. At the mention of any of them, Don would beam with pride. He was always eager to tell any stranger in an elevator or passerby all about his children and grandchildren.

On September 8, his family and the entire world lost one of the most kind men to ever grace this planet. Don Kouba was a wonderful, loving father and grandfather, a great husband to Patti and a friend to all who were lucky enough to meet him.