JOHN E. NOVOSEL

Published in Kansas City Star on August 2, 2010

John E. Novosel, 92, of Kansas City, Kan. passed away peacefully Saturday, July 31, 2010, at KC Hospice House. Visitation 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 4, at the Skradski Funeral Home, 340 N. Sixth St., KCK, with burial following at Mt. Calvary Cemetery.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Rose, and brother Joe. His wife of 58-plus years, Mary R. (Soptic) preceded him in death in 2000.

John was the quintessential All- American.

Born in 1918 to Croatian Immigrant parents, John took part in much of the 20th Century American History. A WWII veteran and later Police Detective, John served his country to the fullest. He played professional baseball for many different ball clubs throughout the country. He fought one amateur boxing match that he both won and lost due to his pro status playing football.

He used to always tell the story of how during a barnstorming tour, that he in fact raced the great, Olympic Gold Medal Winner, Jesse Owens, around the baseball diamond and beat him.

John played pro baseball before joining the Navy; where he was a signalman on several ships. When he returned from WWII, he played for the St. Louis Browns farm club where he was the 1948 MVP with 22 HRs.

He is survived by son, John M. and wife, Mary; daughter, Judy and husband Jim (Wattenbarger); grandsons, John M. Jr. (wife Constance), Jeffrey J. (wife Ryoko) and Scott Novosel and Sean Wattenbarger; great granddaughter, Chloe and great grandsons, JoJo, Jay, and Jake. Also surviving are in-laws, Ann and Jim Roberts, Rose and Bob Soptic, Dolores Bramlett, Joe and Zora Soptic, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Donations may be made to KC Hospice House, 12000 Wornall, KCMO 64154 or to the Cardiology Dept. at KU Medical Center, 39th and Rainbow, KCK. Arr.: Skradski Funeral Home, Kansas City, Kan., (913) 371-1404. skradskifh- kc.rr.com