FT MYERS FL - Bill Kotek has left us far too soon, having fought a fierce, brave, but ultimately losing battle against brain cancer. He was 69 years old.
Born in Boston to Fabian and Isabel (Pokorski) Kotek, Bill and his sister Patricia (Falcione) were raised in Salem. Bill graduated from St. Mary’s High School in Lynn in 1960, where he played football, baseball and hockey. He studied accounting at Boston College, graduating in 1964, and joined the Boston office of accounting firm Coopers & Lybrand. It was in Boston that he met his first wife, Mary (Cairnes) Kotek, with whom he had three children. After a three year stint in the Honolulu office of Coopers & Lybrand the family returned to Massachusetts, first settling in Salem and, later, in Wayland.
Bill loved the challenge of trying to grow a small company and he worked in senior positions for many such companies over his career, in industries as diverse as electronics, plastics, commercial fishing, chemical manufacturing and footwear manufacturing.
Bill also devoted much of his time to youth sports, coaching numerous youth football and baseball teams in Wayland. He was an avid golfer, intrepid traveler, aspiring amateur chef, wine connoisseur, and, above all, a quick wit.
Of course, anyone who knew Bill knows of his love of antique toy trains. He served for extended periods as President of the Train Collectors Association, a society devoted to the history and the hobby of collecting toy trains.
After retirement, Bill began splitting time between New England and Florida, ultimately settling full-time in Fort Myers, Florida in 2010. He married Nancy (Alvo) Kotek in the summer of 2012 and died peacefully at his home with Nancy by his side.
Bill is survived by his wife Nancy; his sister Patricia; his children John, Michelle and Bill; and nine grandchildren.
A wake will be held from 4 to 8 pm on Thursday, February 7th at the Full-Spychalski Funeral Home, 84 Washington Square East, on Salem Common, Salem, MA. A funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, February 8, 2013 at 10 am at the St. John the Baptist Church, Salem.
Also, a memorial service will be held at Blessed Pope John XXIII Church, Ft. Myers, FL on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2013 at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations in Bill’s name to Hope Hospice of Ft. Myers, FL, on line at http://www.hopehospice.org/donate/ or by mail to Development Office, Hope Hospice, 9470 HealthPark Circle, Fort Myers, FL 33908. For on line guest book, visit www.SalemFuneral.com.