Edwin W. Kocur, 92, of Dartmouth died May 4, 2023 at Alden Court Nursing Care and Rehabilitation Center. He was best known to friends and family as “Koke” or “Jaju” and was the devoted husband of the late Eileen (Barter) Kocur.
Born in New Bedford, the son of the late Walter and Sophie (Rozycki) Kocur, he raised his family and lived for most of his life in Dartmouth, MA.
He was a communicant of St. Julie Billiart Church.
He is survived by his son Steven Kocur and his wife Nancy of Dartmouth, son Jeffrey Kocur of Mattapoisett, and daughter Patricia Pierce and her husband Robert of Acushnet, six grandchildren, Ashley Kocur-Pierpont and her husband Benjamin Pierpont, Amanda McQuillan and her fiancé Ruben Talavera, Kaitlyn Kocur and her fiancé Daniel Raposo, Sarah Kocur and her partner Paul Saucier, Randy Kocur and his wife Rachiel, and Jessica Kocur and her partner Jake Bouer, three great-grandchildren, Oliver, Sage and Kai, and several nieces and nephews.
He was the brother of the late Joanna Wojtkunski, Wanda Mitzan and Evelyn Kocur.
Koke graduated from the automotive department at New Bedford Vocational High School and worked as a machinist at Cornell- Dubilier and Johnson & Morrow Machine Shop. He joined the Massachusetts National Guard and was chosen for Officer Candidate School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma where he became a member of their first graduating class comprised completely of National Guardsmen. He was about to enlist fulltime in the Guards when his best friends introduced him to a cute nurse at St. Luke’s Hospital who swept him off his feet. His life changed as he married that girl, Eileen Barter a year later and they shared their lives together until Eileen passed 58 years later. They had settled in Dartmouth where they nurtured their family and Koke became an instructor and then supervisor of the Auto and Auto Body Departments at New Bedford Regional Vocational High School. He was a talented mechanic and true “Jack of All Trades” as he could fix almost anything. Along with his children he restored many MG’s, winning multiple trophies throughout Massachusetts. He was the best of neighbors, shoveling all the driveways on the street in a snowstorm and opening his pool to all in the neighborhood in the summer. In their later years Koke and Eileen loved to travel, to visit restaurants throughout New England and most of all to spend time with their family. Koke’s work ethic and devotion to family are traits all those who knew him admired.
The family can’t thank enough the staff at Alden Court for the kindness and care they showed to Koke during the final months of his life.
At his request, funeral services and burial in Evergreen Cemetery will be private. Arrangements are by the Saunders-Dwyer Home for Funerals, 495 Park St., New Bedford. For online condolence book, please visit www.saundersdwyer.com.