John R. “Jack” Kohnke passed away with his family at his side on November 10, 2010, following a brief stay at the Leesburg Memorial Hospital.
Formerly of Hornell, N.Y., Jack was born in Pittston, PA, on December 3, 1923, to Robert Russell Kohnke and Mary Catherine King. He was the oldest of three sons.
Jack graduated from Hornell High School in 1941 and was a member of the Hornell High School Basketball Championship team. He was a long time supporter of the Hornell Alumnae Association. As a youngster, he was active in numerous sports; as a parent, he coached his children in a number of sports over the years.
He served his country during WW II in the United States Navy in the Pacific theater and returned to Hornell after VJ Day. He married Edna A. Bash on February 15, 1947, and together they built the “American Dream.”