Novak, John Joseph 1939 - 2017
NOVAK, WACHA, SCHMITT, HITCHINS, PARKINSON, DE KLERK, RIEHLE, DOW, MILLER, MASHEK, BLONG
Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 10/9/2017 at 13:15:08
John Novak, age 78, of Spillville, IA died Wednesday, September 20, 2017 at the Winneshiek Medical Center in Decorah, IA.
Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:30 a.m. Monday, September 25, 2017 at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, 207 Church St. in Spillville, IA with Father Robert Gross presiding. Burial will be at the church cemetery.
Visitation will be on Sunday from 3:00 – 7:00 p.m. at the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church with a Rosary at 4:00 p.m. There will also be visitation starting at 9:30 a.m. at the church on Monday.
John Joseph Novak was born June 11, 1939, the son of John F. and Emma G. (Wacha) Novak in Decorah, IA. John attended St. Wenceslaus Catholic School. John joined the U.S. Army on August 29, 1957 and was honorably discharged May 28, 1959. On November 10, 1959, John married Viola Mary Schmitt at St. Luke’s Catholic Church in St. Lucas, IA. Together they lived and worked on their farm located two and a half miles west of Spillville until they moved to Spillville in 1987. John’s career started with his dairy operation and crop farming and later expanded to raising hogs and chickens. Along with his own farming work, John also assisted and was available to help many other local farmers with their custom planting and harvesting needs.
In addition to his farming business, John also established his own trucking company and was the CEO of Grain Express Inc. John loved and thoroughly enjoyed farming and trucking with his son, Daniel, and his grandson, Randy. In his spare time, he worked weekends for more than twelve years as a Nurse Technician at Mayo Medical Center in Rochester, MN and made many close friends during his career there. John also was a trained EMT and worked as a First Responder for South Winneshiek. John was a very active member of the St. Wenceslaus Catholic Church, the Holy Name Society and took upon himself to maintain the Our Lady of Lourdes Grotto daily. John thoroughly enjoyed everything he did in his life and never officially retired.
John’s hobby was his work and he approached every job with joy and enthusiasm. His kindness and sense of humor were always present with a smile. He touched many lives that he encountered along his journey through life. John was always ready to help anyone and everyone in need and truly was a very spiritual man with a deep devotion to his faith. He literally had hundreds of people on his daily prayer list.
John was a very happy person who was dedicated to his family and especially to his one true love of his life, his beloved wife Viola. His family and friends are at peace knowing that his soul was prepared and ready for his next chapter in the afterlife.
John is survived by his wife: Viola Novak, Spillville, IA. Three children: Daniel (Heidi Hutchins) Novak, Fort Atkinson, IA, Julie (Brian) Parkinson, Wichita, KS, and Mark (Lisa) Novak, Hannibal, MO. Nine grandchildren: Randy Novak, Heather Novak, Kelly (Barry) de Klerk, Kyle, Bryan, Tyler, Brady, Cory and Ryan Novak. One great-grandchild: Gabriel Galyan. Two sisters: Phyllis Riehle, Spillville, IA, and Tami (Cliff) Dow, Scottsdale, AZ. One brother: David Novak, Hawkeye, IA. One brother-in-law: Edgar (Rita) Schmitt, Decorah, IA, and many nieces and nephews.
John was preceded in death by his parents: John F. and Emma G. (Wacha) Novak. One sister: JoAnn (Dave) Miller. Two brothers-in-law: Julius Riehle and Alvin Mashek. His father-in-law and mother-in-law: Joseph T. and Julia (Blong) Schmitt.
Source: Schluter - Balik Funeral Home database
St. Wenceslaus Cemetery
Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
WebBBS 4.33 Genealogy Modification Package by WebJourneymen