A memorial Mass will be celebrated Jan. 30 at 11 a.m. at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church for B (Generalovic) Koglman, 90, who died Jan. 16, 2015, after a short illness.
A celebration of life took place Jan. 31 in the lower level of Aurora Memorial Library.
Bertha Mary was born Feb. 9, 1924 in Harmarville, Pa, to Steven and Susan (Vilsak) Generalovic. She never liked her first name, so she told everyone “It’s just B” and went by that most of her life.
She graduated from Oakmont High School in 1942, then took a job as a secretary for the Harmar Mine.
She married George A. Koglman on Nov. 26, 1949 and moved to Lincoln, Neb., then to Rosemont, Pa. in 1950, Newport News, Va. in 1967 and San Jose, Calif. in 1971.
She worked as a secretary in elementary schools and executive secretary to the superintendent of Oak Grove schools in California. After retiring in 1988, the Koglmans moved to Aurora and B became active in many organizations, including Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, Aurora Garden Club, Aurora Historical Society, Aurora Memorial Library and Aurora Library Trust.
In 2007, she was named the Friends of the Library’s volunteer of the year. In 2009, she was selected the historical society’s volunteer of the year, and the society gave her a lifetime achievement award in 2013.
In 2012, she was selected by the city as the co-grand marshal of the July 4 parade.
Also during her lifetime, she was a Girl Scout leader, PTA member and docent for the San Jose Historical Society, and enjoyed cooking, quilting, reading, knitting and crocheting.
Survivors include her daughters Karen Mitchell of Aurora and Karla Koglman of Bayside, Calif.
Contributions can be made to Friends of Aurora Memorial Library, Aurora Historical Society or Aurora Library Trust, all at 115 E. Pioneer Trail.