Leonard J. “Duke” Kohake, 94, of Seneca, Kansas passed away on Friday, November 27, 2020
at Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka.
Leonard Joseph was born December 2, 1925 on a farm in rural Seneca to Joseph and Margaret
Trimble Kohake. He was baptized on December 6, 1925 at St. Peter & Paul Catholic Church.
He attended rural grade school for five years before going to Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Grade
School; graduating from grade school in 1939 and from Sts. Peter & Paul High School in 1943.
He helped his parents on the family farm, prior to enlisting in the army on March 22, 1944.
He served with the 9 th Regiment of the Second Infantry Division at Fort Lewis Washington.
Duke was the Chaplain’s assistant as well as a mail clerk. He was honorably discharged on
September 23, 1947. He returned to Nemaha County with the dream of farming.
On April 21, 1949 he married Grace Martha Bergman at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in
Baileyville. To this union were born seven children. They lived southwest of Seneca as a young
couple. In 1952, they moved to the Lierz farm in the Ford Community southeast of Seneca,
where they raised various crops and beef cattle. Grace passed away on April 6, 2010 after 62
plus years of marriage.
Duke was a lifelong member of Sts. Peter & Paul Parish, where he served a lector, rosary leader
and communion distributor to nursing facilities for many years; the Knights of Columbus
Council 1969; the St. Joseph Society from 1943-2020; and Benediction Oblates of St.
Benedict’s Abby in Atchison, Kansas since 1986. He worked with the Sts. Peter & Paul
Mission from 1973 for many years. He was a member of our Lady’s Rosary Makers Club from
1990 until his death, making rosaries for missions throughout the world.
He was preceded in death by his parents, wife and siblings, Lucille Bednarz on October 9, 1997,
Daniel Kohake on March 3, 2014 and Edith Scheurer on March 23, 2018.
He is survived by seven children, Jane (Don) Kreimer of Raleigh, North Carolina, Tom Kohake
of Seneca, James (Carol) Kohake of Seneca, Patrick Kohake of Topeka, Kris (Don) Haverkamp
of Fairview, Gerard Kohake of Topeka, Nebraska, and Linda Kohake of Seneca; 13
grandchildren and 25 great-grandchildren.
Leonard will lie in state at Lauer Funeral Home on Sunday, November 29, 2020 for public
viewing and to sign the book; the family will not be present that day.
He will lie in state on Sunday, November 29, 2020 at Lauer Funeral Home. A rosary will be
prayed on Monday morning, November 30, 2020 at 9:30 AM at the Sts Peter & Paul Church
prior to the Mass of Christian Burial at 10 AM. Burial will be in the church cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be left in Duke’s memory to be designated at a later date, sent in
care of the family.