Lake co In Obit Post Tribune July 31, 1986 Obituary KOPCHA, Joseph E. B.S., M.D.,F.A.C.S., FIC.S, FAC of OB and GYN, FAC of Sports Medicine Age 80 years, of Hobart, formerly a longtime resident of Gary, passed away in St. Mary Medical Center, Hobart, Tuesday July 29th 1986. Dr. Kopcha was an Ob/Gyn and surgeon in Lake County since 1941.  He was a staff member of the Methodist Hospital in Gary and Merrillville, a staff member of St. Mary Medical Centers in Hobart and Gary, and a staff member of St. Anthony Hospital in Crown Point. He was a 1925 graduate of Whiting High School, a graduate of the U. of Chattanooga where he was a member of the football, basketball and track teams for 4 years. He made All Southern for 3 years as a tackle.  He received the Templeton Trophy in 1929 for the Best All Around Athlete at the U. of Chattanooga. He received the Outstanding Alumnus Award at the U. of C. in 1969. He was awarded the Most Distinguished Alumnus of the U. of Tennessee at Chattanooga in 1973. He graduated from the University of Chicago-Rush Medical School in 1934, and later studied 6 years of Post Graduate work in Ob/Gyn divided between Harper Hospital in Detroit, Mi. and the U. Hospitals of Cleveland, Ohio. He was a past President of the Lake County Medical Society. He played Professional Football with the Chicago Bears from 1929 until 1934 under George S. Halas.   He played with the Detroit Lions in 1935.  He made All-Pro Guard for 4 years and made the Pro-digest All Pro Guard for the decade of 1930 to 1939.  He played on the 1932 and 1933 NFL Championship Squads. A member of the National Football Foudation and Hall of Fame.  Dr. Kopcha was inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1977. He was a member of St. Bridget Church in Hobart, a Veteran of World War ll-U.S. Army Air Corps, Lt. Colonel. A member of the Old Timers Association, associated with the Hobart YMCA, a member of the A.A.R.P. Survivors: Wife:  Bernardine E. Kopcha of Hobart. Daughter:  Maryel Savage of Hobart. Daughter:  Michelle Kopcha D.V.M., M.S. of East Lansing, Mi. Son:  Joseph A. (Barbara) Kopcha of Hobart. Son:  Edward P. Kopcha of Hobart. Brother:  John Kopcha of Whiting. Brother:  Steve Kopcha of Chicago, Ill. Brother:  Michael (Cyrena) Kopcha of Beverly Hills, Ca. A funeral mass at St. Bridgets Church in Hobart. Most Reverend Andrew G. Grutka, Bishop Emeritus of Gary, Rev. William Vogt, Rev. John J. Strebig, and Rev. Fr. Henry Langhals concelebrating. Internment Ridgelawn Cemetery in Gary. Burns Funeral Home in Hobart. ------------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, MUST obtain the written consent of the submitter, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Submitter - Cheryl BALOG Wenberg cswoodie2@earthlink.net