Jozef Frederick Kautzky

Jozef Frederick Kautzky passed away on September 13, 2026, in Waukee, Iowa, surrounded by his loving family. He was born on September 14, 1963, in Perry, Iowa.

Jozef grew up on the family farm near Perry and graduated from Central Dallas Community Schools in Minburn, Iowa. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree in Mathematics and Computer Science from Iowa State University in May 1990. After college, he lived in California from 1990 to 1993, later moving to Plymouth, Minnesota, where he raised his children, and most recently made his home in Waukee for the past seven years.

Jozef built a distinguished career in technology. He recently retired from Stine Seed Company, where he served as Executive Director of IT Application Development. Earlier in his career, he was Director of IT Application Development and Support at Reinsurance Group of America in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He also worked for MUST Software in Santa Monica, California and contributed to the C17 aircraft project for McDonnell Douglas.

Jozef enjoyed building amateur rockets and was a member of the Iowa Society of Amateur Rocketeers and the Tripoli Rocketry Association. He obtained his pilot’s license and enjoyed the thrill of skydiving. He loved fishing, cruises and world traveling, and he was known as a fiercely competitive pickleball and golf player. He treasured time with his family, including coaching Sam and Ben’s soccer teams and playing in chess tournaments with his son Jacob. Most recently he enjoyed watching and monitoring SpaceX launches.

In 1987, he married Marla in Dubuque, Iowa, and from that union his three sons were born. In 2021, he married his high school sweetheart, Lucinda, in West Des Moines.

Jozef is survived by his wife, Lucinda of Waukee; his sons, Jacob (Scott), Sam, and Ben (Jensine); his mother, Cecelia "Mary"; his brothers, Robert (Cindy) and Wayne (Lori); his sister, Anne (Steve); his stepsons, Brandon (Kate) and Tristen (Hannah) and numerous nieces, grand nieces, nephews, grand nephews, cousins, uncles and many friends. He will be remembered with deep love by his family and by all who shared in his life, interests, and generous spirit.

He was preceded in death by his father, Robert “Bob”, and by his brothers, Karl and Nicholas.

Visitation will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026, from 1:30 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. with a funeral service starting at 3:00 p.m., both at Ernst Funeral Home, 80 NE Dartmoor Drive, Waukee, Iowa 50263. Interment to follow at the Booneville Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Jozef's memory to a cancer charity/association of your choice.

The family would like to give a special thanks to Dr. Joshua Lukenbill and team at Mission Cancer & Blood and Dr. Crosby Rock and team at John Stoddard Cancer Center; Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

Ernst Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Waukee has been entrusted with Jozef's final arrangements.