John E. Kotts

John E. Kotts, 86, of New Kensington, formerly of Saltsburg, died Wednesday, Dec. 3, 2008, in Armstrong County Memorial Hospital, East Franklin Township. He was born April 25, 1922, in Edri, Indiana County, a son of the late Jakob and Mary C. Piwowar Kotts and had lived in New Kensington the past five years. He had worked as a machinist for National Roll and was a bricklayer, building many custom homes during his career. He was very proud of his military service with the Army during World War II, serving in Northern France, Normandy, Rhineland and Central Europe. He landed on D-Day in Normandy, St. Lo, Drive to Cherbourg with the infantry, fought in five European Campaigns, Huertgen Forest, the Battle of the Bulge and Ardennes and was one of the liberators of Nordhauser Concentration Camp. He received the Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal, European African Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with five Bronze Stars. He was a member of St. Margaret Mary Roman Catholic Church, Lower Burrell, and a former member of St. Matthew Roman Catholic Church, Saltsburg, which he helped to construct. He enjoyed golfing, hunting, gardening, time with his family and was an expert in grafting fruit trees. Survivors include his wife of 58 years, Angeline J. Gasperini Kotts; daughters, Carolyn Hankinson, of Penn Hills, and Mary (Dennis) Murphy, of New Kensington; grandchildren, Nathan (Kelly) and Benjamin Hankinson; a brother, Andrew Kotts, of Ridgeway; and two sisters, Helen (Stanley) Kengerski and Sophie (Harold) Stonebraker, both of Avonmore. Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by four brothers, Charles, Joseph, Samuel and Stanley Kotts; and a sister, Julia Nartowicz. Friends will be received from 2 to 5 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the RUSIEWICZ OF LOWER BURRELL FUNERAL HOME, 3124 Leechburg Road at Alder Street, Lower Burrell. Christian Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Margaret Mary Church, Lower Burrell. Burial will be in St. Matthew Catholic Cemetery, Saltsburg, with military honors by the Vandergrift Honor Guard. The family suggests memorials in care of Disabled American Veterans, Department of Pennsylvania, 4219 Trindle Road, Camp Hill, PA 17011, Attn: Stacey or Tom Mincjin Pittsburgh/Transportation in memory of John Kotts or Army Emergency Relief, 200 Stovall St., Alexandria, VA 22332. www.RusiewiczFH.com.