Gerald J. ?Coach? Sadowski, 72, Holton, died Thursday, Jan. 22, 1998, at his home in Holton, Kansas.
He was born May 22, 1925, at Newton, the son of Henry and Katherine Lingnau Sadowski. He graduated from Newton High School in 1942 and earned a bachelor?s degree in education and industrial arts from Emporia StateTeachers College in 1952. He served in the Army in Europe during World War II.
Mr. Sadowski taught school for 39 years, including 10 years at Hayden High School. He later taught and coached wrestling at Holton High School until he retired in 1989. He was inducted into the Kansas Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 1990. He was a member of St. Dominics Catholic Church at Holton, Holton Council No. 4219 of the Knights of Columbus and Holton Memorial Post No. 1367 of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He also had served on the Holton Unified School District No. 336 Board of Education. Mr. Sadowski was a school teacher and wrestling coach for several years. He was a good friend to all his pupils. He was also an avid fisherman.
He married Eleanor M. McFarlane on Dec. 14, 1947, at Newton. She survives. Other survivors include four sons, Gary Sadowski and Tim Sadowski, both of Emporia, Bryan Sadowski, Ottawa, and Stan Sadowski, Meriden; five daughters, Sandra Holzmeister, Topeka, Linda Sadowski, Marie Katz, Kathy Morris and Marsha Taylor, all of Holton; five brothers, Richard Sadowski and Clayton Sadowski, Both of Newton, Ted Sadowski, Lawton, Oklahoma, Allen Sadowski, Grantville, and Tom Sadowski, Shawnee; a sister, Rita Cheek, San Andreas, Calif.; 20 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by a daughter, Janet Meier.
Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Dominic?s Catholic Church. Burial with military honors conducted by Post No. 1367 of the VFW will be in Mount Calvary Cemetery, west of Holton. Mr. Sadowski will lie in state at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home in Holton until 9:30 a.m. Monday.
