Eugene Joe Kratochvil was born March 16, 1938 at Valparaiso, Nebraska, the son of Ignac "Nick" and Lillian (Baus) Kratochvil and passed away on March 11, 2014 at his home in Seward, Nebraska at the age of 75 years, 11 months, 23 days. Eugene was the oldest of 11 children. He attended school at Ulysses and David City. On October 12, 1963, Eugene was united in marriage to Elaine Carol Makovicka at St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church in Bee. Their marriage was blessed with four children, Bryan, Tami, Shari, and Jim. They lived all of their married life around Ulysses until moving to Seward in 2012. Eugene was a lifetime farmer. He was a member of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Ulysses; a member for more than 50 years of the Ulysses Volunteer Fire Department where he served as president for over 25 years. He was also a member and former president of the Ulysses Community Club. Eugene's hobbies were the Ulysses Fire Department and belt buckle collecting. Eugene is preceded in death by his parents; brother, LeRoy Kratochvil and two infant brothers, Gerald Kratochvil and Roy Kratochvil; his parents-in-law; son-in-law, Tim Svehla; brothers-in-law, Merv Kirkpatrick, Don Moravec, Eugene Kadavy, Leland Wullenwaber and Don Makovicka. Survivors cherishing Eugene's memory include his wife, Elaine Kratochvil, Seward; children and spouses, Bryan and Tamara Kratochvil, Lincoln, Tami (Kratochvil) Svehla, Seward and her family Nick and Stephanie Svehla of Friend and their children Ty and Ava; and Dana Svehla of Lincoln; Shari Hamsa, Omaha, and her children, Jacob and Jarod Hamsa and Jim and Erika Kratochvil of Seward and their daughters, Drew and Libby Kratochvil. Other survivors include Eugene's siblings and spouses, Marcie and Ray Buller, Utica, LaVern Kadavy, Weston, Marge and Ron Miller, Omaha, Carol Kratochvil, Ulysses, Vern and RaNay Kratochvil, Beaver Crossing, Larry and Sue Kratochvil, Ulysses, Donald Kratochvil, Ulysses, Donna Moravec, David City, Pat Kirkpatrick, Utica and Gary Kratochvil and Lori Steward, David City; brothers-in-law, Ernest Makovicka and fiancé June Fecht, David City and Eugene Makovicka, Lincoln; nieces and nephews; other relatives and friends. To this obituary we add our thoughts, prayers, and memories of life shared with Eugene.