James J. Katos

James Katos, 45 of Sidney, Nebraska and formerly of Chicago, died Monday afternoon, March 23, 2015 at the Sidney Regional Medical Center in Sidney.

Cremation has taken place and no local services are planned. Inurnment will be in Chicago at a later date.

                        Jim was born November 2, 1969 in Chicago, Illinois where he had a rich childhood taking advantages of all the city had to offer. He chose to attend Catholic high school so that he could study Latin, which he did for all four years while spending his summers working for Northwestern University on their archaeological sites. He attended Beloit College to study archaeology, but a job in the school cafeteria ignited a love of cooking and he left Beloit for culinary school.

            After school he cooked under the top award-winning chef, Bernard Cretier of Le Vichyssoise and Jim always credited Bernard with teaching him how to cook properly. After working in some of the finest French, Italian and Asian restaurants, Jim moved to Sidney to open a bakery, the Blue Rooster Bakery and café.

            James spent his life nourishing and bringing pleasure to people, but beyond his cooking skills, Jim will be remembered for his sweet, sensitive nature and openhanded generosity.

            Jim never had any money because he gave what he had to people who he felt needed it more than he did. In remembrance of the time he spent volunteering cooking at a women’s shelter, the family asks that memorials be sent to DOVES to help stop domestic violence.

            He is survived by his parents, John and Mary (Dutton) Katos; his grandmother Aldona Katos; his aunts: Katherine Boyd, Petronella Mariner, Bernadette Hickman and Mimi Hodges; his uncles: Raymond Katos, Stephen Dutton, and Michael Dutton, as well as many cousins.

            He was preceded in death by his grandfathers, James Katos and James Dutton; his grandmother Marjorie Dutton and his aunts, Anne Dutton and Elizabeth Dutton.