a friendly poker game. Rose was as we’re laughing, “that guy in the usually the only woman playing, car, he took off and left a trench and they actually named a game (about 6 inches deep) until he hit “Rosie’s game” after her, a seven the concrete out there. And (the card draw with 2’s wild. The same intruder), he’s hanging on the door group usually played, so if they lost and his feet are flying out there like a few bucks, they got it back next this!” Kozy was laughing so hard he time. could hardly finish the story. This “Kozy’s was always the friendly is just one of many entertaining place to go. Everyone was welcome stories in his archive. and if you were a stranger, you Kozy sold the bar in June 2000 weren’t one for long,” she explained. and the bar left the family for 18 Aside from friendly card games, years and exchanged hands twice Kozy would often host birthday before being bought back into the parties. One Sunday a month, he family. His granddaughter, Kristen, would play polka music from 4-8 was thirteen when her grandpa sold PM and he would often have the bar and she remembers how country western bands as well. sad he was about it. He often felt L to R: Julie Eickhoff, Lawrence Kozak, Kristen Kozak Kozy himself provided great regret in selling it and just couldn’t entertainment in telling the customers his jokes and stories. shake the sadness that it wasn’t in the family anymore. I asked Kozy if he had a favorite memory. He laughed his contagious Kristen, now in her 30’s, explains that she heard a rumor that the laugh and said, “Oh boy, I tell you, I could tell stories.” He explained bar was for sale and contacted the seller. She and her boyfriend Casey one night, years ago, they were sleeping in his mobile home behind Weverstad looked at the property and purchased it, surprising her the property. He heard a noise outside, looked out the window and grandpa with the news a week later. Kozy beams as he explains that the someone was trying to break in to the bar, using a crowbar to pry the news made him feel. “Good! Yeah, they did a wonderful thing for me.” front door open. Kozy stepped out on the side porch, where there was Kristen explains that it took about a year to reopen the bar as they no yard light and yelled at the intruder, asking him what he was doing did some major renovations to the inside of the place, tearing out the over there. walls, floor and ceiling. Though her grandpa was apprehensive about The intruder mumbled several things, then “BOOM!” Kozy shot vKOZY continued on page 19 his 20-gauge shotgun into the air. “I tell you what,” Kozy continues Proudly Serving You Since 1948! “Your Single Source” •HVAC • Plumbing • Electrical 808 W. 23rd, Yankton, SD | 605.665.2895 HERVOICEvMARCH/APRIL 2019v11