James David “Bombo” Haluska, 79, Milwaukee, father of a Plover man and a longtime high school coach, died unexpectedly of a heart attack at his home Thursday, Sept. 20, 2012.
A Mass was held Monday, Sept. 24, at St. Matthias Church in Milwaukee. Entombment was in Mount Olivet Cemetery in Milwaukee.
Visitation was at the church Monday, Sept. 24.
Memorials may be sent to Racine St. Catherine High School, St. Thomas More High School, Waukesha Catholic Memorial High School or Pius XI High School.
Max A. Sass & Sons in Milwaukee assisted with arrangements. Condolences may be offered online at www.maxsass.com.
Mr. Haluska was born Oct. 9, 1932, in Racine, a son of the late Rudy and Olga Haluska.
He attended the University of Wisconsin in Madison where he quarterbacked the 1952 Badgers football team to its first Rose Bowl. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the 1954 NFL draft and played in five games with the Bears in 1956.
He was married to Ginny Haas. She died in 1989.
He was a long-time coach and physical education teacher at Don Bosco High School and Thomas More High School in Milwaukee and an assistant coach and teacher at Pius XI High School in Milwaukee and coach at Waukesha Catholic Memorial High School. More than 20 years coaching football at Don Bosco and St. Thomas More produced a number of conference championships.
He was inducted into the Wisconsin Football Coaches Hall of Fame in 2001 and the UW Athletic Hall of Fame in August.
Survivors include two sons, James Jr. (Cheryl), Plover, and David (Wendy); three daughters, Marybeth (Gene) Gardner, Jan (Joe) Boberschmidt and Julie (Tim) Hall; two brothers, Rudy (Carol) and Eugene; and 16 grandchildren.
