HARTFORD - George M. Kocis, 95, of Hartford, a former resident of Cortland, passed away on Friday, Nov. 16, 2012, at Trumbull Memorial Hospital in Warren.
Mr. Kocis was born May 4, 1917, in Greenville, Pa., the youngest of 13 children of the late Jacob and Kathryn Pushcar Kocis.
Early in life, George loved spending time working on his family's farm on the outskirts of Greenville and during World War II he had worked at Camp Reynolds Army Depot, where he had driven fire truck.
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On Oct. 28, 1944, George married the former Rose Marzano, with whom he would share nearly 40 years of marriage.
In 1947, George and Rose opened a grocery store known as Kocis Grocery, located in Sharon, Pa., which they lovingly operated until 1957.
George retired from Republic Steel in 1979 with more than 27 years of service as a crane operator.
In his early life, he had loved to play music locally with his friends and was accomplished with the harmonica and fiddle.
He and Rose had also loved dancing, and traveling throughout the United States and Europe together over the years. Later in life, he enjoyed traveling to flea markets as well as loving baseball, and was a fan of the Cleveland Indians for many years.
Uncle George will be lovingly missed by his many beloved nieces and nephews.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Rose, on Aug. 14, 1983, and by 12 brothers and sisters John Kocis, Pauline Mischick, Mary Matuzek, Anna Safko, Veronica Stefanek, Jacob Kocis, Kathryn Frazier, Elizabeth Mook, Andy Kocis, Edward Kocis, and infants Anna Kocis and Steve Kocis.
Friends may call from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at the Lane Family Funeral Homes, Shafer-Winans Chapel at 164 N. High St. in Cortland. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at St. Robert's Catholic Church in Cortland.
Burial will follow at All Souls Cemetery next to his wife Rose.
As an expression of sympathy, the family suggests contributions be made to the charity of the donor's choice in George's honor.
Family and friends can send condolences to www.shaferwinanschapel.com.
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