Kenneth C. Kortas

1942 - 2022

Kenneth C. Kortas, 80, of Simpsonville, formerly of Louisville, died on Saturday, the 15th day of October, 2022, Norton Brownsboro Hospital in Louisville. Born in Chicago, Illinois, on the 17th day of May in 1942, he was the son of the late Ed and Harriet Kortas. He was a member of the Catholic Church. A graduate of Taft High School in Chicago, he then earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Louisville, where he played football. In 1963, he was the first Major College All American at U of L and was named the first Playboy Magazine All American, the first Look Magazine All American, first Dell Sports All American and the first Street and Smith All American. The same year, he played in the North vs. South All -Star Game and in the Orange Bowl. He played in the Senor Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, and the Chicago Tribune All-Star game in Chicago in 1964. He was in the first round Draft Pick in 1964, joining the Saint Louis Cardinals. He still holds the record as the University of Louisville's highest NFL draft selection at number nine, and he was eighteenth pick overall in the 1964 AFL draft. Transferring to the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1965, he played with the Steelers until 1969, and was named the most valuable player in 1966. Afterwards, he played one season with the Chicago Bears in 1969. From 1964 through 1969, he played in a total of seventy-three games, recording four fumble recoveries with one of those for a touchdown, and over fourteen sacks. He retired from professional football in 1970, and in 1979, he was inducted into the University of Louisville Hall of Fame. After pursuing a career in real estate in Louisville and in Illinois, he returned to Louisville in 1987 to co-own and operate the Check Cashing Corp. His memberships formerly included the L-Club at the University of Louisville. Of his many accomplishments, he always said his "greatest accomplishment was his daughter, Jana."

His survivors include his wife of over thirty-three years, Judith Ann Kortas of Simpsonville; his daughter, Jana Leigh Kortas Neffendorf and her husband, Brett, of Gray; his sister, Marilyn Karbin of Bolingbrook, Illinois; and his niece, Kerri Keledjian and her husband, Michael, of Framingham, Massachusetts.

Funeral services will be conducted at 1:00 P.M., Thursday, the 20th day of October, 2022, at the Hall-Taylor Funeral Home of Shelbyville, with the Reverend John G. Eifler officiating. Visitation will be from 4:00 P.M., until 8:00 P.M., Wednesday, the 19th day of October, 2022, at the Hall-Taylor Funeral Home of Shelbyville. Expressions of sympathy may take the form of contributions to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Post Office Box 676910, Dallas, Texas 75627-6910, or to the American Heart Association, 240 Whittington Parkway, Louisville, Kentucky 40222. Arrangements are under the direction of the Hall-Taylor Funeral Home of Shelbyville, and condolences may be expressed at www.halltaylorfuneralhomes.com.