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Family of Joel Francis KORTUS and Lindy LEISHER

Joel Francis KORTUS b. 1943 Jun 264210 at Dwight, NE4210. d. 2012 Jun 194210 at (res) Whidbey Island, WA4210.
Lindy LEISHER b. 1947 May 102159.

Married4213 1966 Jul 24213 at Sacred Heart Catholic Ch, Lincoln, NE4213. Lindy's maid of honor was her sister, Miss Gail Leisher. Joel's best man was Steve Creal.

Joel grew up in Lincoln, NE, and attended Pius X High School there. Several newspaper articles indicate that Joel was a good athelete, on the baseball diamond and on the basketball court. He attended the University of Nebraska (Lincoln) and played basketball under Joe Cipriano. Cipriano (as of 2015) was the winningest coach in history at the school.

Joel's contributions to Nebraska basketball were notable. He walked on as a freshman at NU and quickly earned a basketball scholarship in 1962. A 1964 newspaper article describes a Big Eight conference opening game, Nebraska vs Iowa State, in which, late in the game, Joel Kortus drew a foul and sank both foul shots to ensure the Huskers' victory. The following week, an article entitled "Nebraska Surprises Missouri" was subtitled "Cool Kortus Does It Again," and described his repeat free throw performance with 41 seconds left in overtime. The following week, Joe's shooting from the floor was credited with holding off a late run by Oklahoma to ensure the Cornhuskers win. A few games later, Joel sprained his ankle early in the Kansas State game. For several games thereafter, Nebraska's game were described in terms of Nebraska playing "without Joel Kortus," or "without the services of Kortus." In 1965, as a graduating senior, Joel, along with Coach Cipriano, and 3 others, were presented watches by the Elks Lodge at a basketball banquet. (Nebraska) Governor Morrison also make the group Admirals in the Nebraska Navy. A 1977 article about NU's basketball history in which Cipriano mentions contributions by players Terry Novak and Curt Hedberg exceeding all others - except, stated Cipriano: "Joel Kortus … was the only other Lincoln player who did so well."

Joel went on to teach and coach at Tacoma, WA. Another Lincoln (NE) Star newspaper article at the time beings with "If you've lost track of Joel Kortus, he's alive and well and living on the beach at Puget Sound, raising a family and coaching Franklin Pierce High School's basketball team in Puyallup, Wash." Joel is described as one of Cipriano's "most prized pupils."

Children of Joel Francis KORTUS and Lindy LEISHER:

1. Tiffany KORTUS4210 b. 1).
2. Tawnya KORTUS4210 b. 2).
3. Taft KORTUS4210 b. 3).
4. Thomas KORTUS4210 b. 4).
5. Todd KORTUS4210 b. 5).


2159. U. S. Public Records Index, Volumes 1 and 2; www.ancestry.com, familysearch.org
4209. Obit - Veazie, Rosalind, The (Tacoma, WA) News Tribune, Oct 21, 1994
4210. Obit - Kortus, Joel Francis, The Lincoln (NE) Journal Star, Jul 1, 2012; journalstar.com
4213. Leisher, Lindy weds Joel Kortus, The Lincoln (NE) Sunday Journal and Star, Jul 3, 1966; newspaperarchive.com