Troy Kotsur
Birth Name: Troy Michael Kotsur
Place of Birth: Mesa, Arizona, U.S.
Date of Birth: July 24, 1968
Ethnicity:
*father – Slovak, Rusyn-Ukrainian
*mother – English, German, Irish, Scottish
Troy Kotsur is an American actor. He won the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for CODA (2021). He is also known for his roles on the show Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye and in the film The Number 23. He directed No Ordinary Hero: The SuperDeafy Movie.
Troy is deaf. He was born to hearing parents. He was raised in Phoenix, and his father was police chief of Mesa.
Troy is married to actress Deanne Bray, with whom he has one child. Deanne is also deaf.
Troy’s paternal grandfather was John J. Kotsur/Kotzer (the son of Tomko/Thomas Kotsur/Kotzer and Mary Nicholas/Miklos). John was born in Pennsylvania, to immigrant parents, who likely were Rusyn-Ukrainian.
Troy’s paternal grandmother was Elizabeth J./S. Grula (the daughter of Joseph P. Grula and Elizabeth Besak/Besnock/Beshak). Elizabeth was born in Pennsylvania, to Slovak parents.
Troy’s maternal grandfather was Francis Aubrey True (the son of Thomas John Byron True and Hattie M. Smith). Francis was born in Michigan. Thomas was the son of Franklin Pierce True and Elsie Jane Simmons. Hattie was the daughter of John Christian Smith and Hulda Vienna Runkle, and was of German descent.
Troy’s maternal grandmother was Mamie Louise Lolmaugh (the daughter of Lewis/Louis Montgomery Lolmaugh and Emma Jane Jasper Mitchell). Mamie was born in Indiana. Lewis was the son of David Wayman Lolmaugh and Laura Ellen McClanahan. Emma was the daughter of Julian Abner Mitchell and Clara Elizabeth Stoner.
Sources: Genealogy of Troy Kotsur – https://www.geni.com
Marriage record of Troy’s paternal grandparents, John J. Kotsur/Kotzer and Elizabeth J./S. Grula – https://www.familysearch.org
Troy’s paternal grandmother, Elizabeth J./S. Grula, on the 1910 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Troy’s maternal grandparents, Francis Aubrey True and Mamie Louise Lolmaugh, on the 1930 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Troy’s maternal grandmother, Mamie Louise Lolmaugh, on the 1920 U.S. Census – https://www.familysearch.org
Tomko and Mary were also Slovak.
How do you know? (and on his paternal grandmother’s line, too).
I’ve been trying to get bablah to notice this page, but have so far failed.
With a name like Tymko, I’m leaning towards Ukrainian/Rusyn. I don’t think any other Slavic language has such a variation of the name Thomas, and he was buried in Saint Michaels Ukrainian Catholic Church Cemetery.
And his paternal grandmother? Same as his grandfather?
She was Slovak.