John Klimek

A man of honor, integrity, and sound moral principle, John Klimek was an inspiration to all who were near. He was a hard worker who liked everything in its place. John was a devoted father, but he really came into his own when grandchildren arrived as he treasured his role as a grandfather more than any other. He was more than willing to help others in ways both great and small and was a man of his word as well. Although he will be deeply missed, Johns legacy will be proudly carried on by those who follow him. It was great to be an American during the decade that is often recalled as the Roaring Twenties. Innovation and technology gave way to prosperity until the historic crash of the stock market ushered in the Great Depression throughout the 1930s. Amidst this colorful time was the year 1927 that was filled with great joy for a young couple from Muskegon, Michigan, as they welcomed a healthy baby boy into their hearts and home on December 11th. Theodore Carl was one of the middle children born to his parents, John and Joanne (Wojton) Klimek, and he was raised in the family home that his father built at 1741 Division Street in Muskegon alongside his brothers, Arthur and Stanley Skip, and his sisters, Patricia and Joanne. His father immigrated to America from Krakow, Poland, and although they did not meet until in the United States his mothers family also immigrated to the United States from Krakow. Since Theodore was always called John while growing up he officially changed his name to John Stanley as a teen. In many ways John experienced an upbringing that was a reflection of his generation. His father worked at Campbell,Wyant & Cannon Foundry while his mother was a busy homemaker. Their neighborhood consisted of several other Polish immigrants, and John could often be found playing around with the other boys in the neighborhood. He and his family attended St. Michaels Catholic Church, and John went to St. Michaels school through the eighth grade and then went on to Muskegon High School. Big changes were in store for John when his parents divorced while he was a teen, and then his father died when John was just 15. His mother later remarried Sig Kudlicki, which brought five stepbrothers including Chester, Casmer, Sigmund, Robert, and Edward into the family along with four stepsisters: Wanda, Bernice, Isabell, and Angeline. Eventually the family was completed with two half-brothers, Richard and Jerry. As a high school student new and exciting changes were in store for John when he met the young girl of his dreams. Her name was Shirley DeVowe, and she was just 13 when he first laid eyes on her. John was smitten right from the start, and he just knew that he would marry her one day. His premonition proved to be right as they became husband and wife as soon as she was old enough, exchanging their vows on January 7, 1949. After attending trade school and fulfilling his apprenticeship to become a carpenter out of high school, John was poised for a rewarding career. He was a member of the Carpenters Local 100 and worked for several contractors and on various projects around the Muskegon area over the years including the Muskegon Mall and the smoke stacks at the BC Cobb Plant. While he was busy establishing his career, John and Shirley were blessed with the births of five daughters over a period of 14 years: Terry, Vicki, Lisa, Sallie, and Sherri, as well as the birth of their son, John. Together they raised their children in a house on Hoyt Street on the South side of Muskegon Heights where John would live for the rest of his life. He added on to the house as the family grew over the years. As a family they attended Sacred Heart Catholic Church and the children all went to Catholic schools. The Klimeks looked forward to fun-filled gatherings with relatives from both sides of the family. Most of these times included a lively game of cribbage or a card game of some kind. The union picnics at Pioneer Park through Johns work were also something they all loved, and who could forget the vacation they took out to California with all six kids and parents piled into the car! Although their marriage ended in divorce in the early seventies, John and Shirley remained friends for the rest of their lives. Throughout his life John was one to keep busy. He served as a board member at the Muskegon Federal Co-op Credit Union for 42 years where he was a stickler for accuracy and making sure the funds were accounted for. An avid bowler, John bowled on three leagues on three different nights of the week for several years. After retiring he traded in his bowling shoes for a set of golf clubs and enjoyed heading out on the links with his buddies for several years. Also during his retirement years John put his handyman skills to good use doing various work projects for family and neighbors such as building decks. In addition to doing what work he could for others, John was also known for driving neighbors places and helping others financially when he was able. John was also a longtime member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church and a member of the Polish Falcon Hall as well. All who knew John would agree that he was truly one of a kind. He lived a frugal lifestyle, never buying anything that wasnt really a necessity, and although he did enjoy trips to the casino he exercised great self control by only spending his designated amount of play money and then coming home. John worked hard to get his house paid off and took great pride in his home, too, as he kept his yard well maintained and saw to it that everything was neat and organized. Later in life John was overjoyed to become a grandfather. He was blessed with 12 grandchildren altogether, and he loved being with them whenever he could. During more recent years John spent quite a lot of time at his daughter Sallies house, which was something that they all truly enjoyed. Although he struggled with some health issues during these later years, he continued to maintain his lifestyle as best he could. John remained in his home living on his own, and he attended church faithfully each week. With unending devotion to his family, John Klimek was a family man through and through. He treated others with kindness, compassion, and respect, and he will be forever remembered. John S. Klimek died on Saturday, June 7, 2014. Johns family includes his son, John (Julie) Klimek of Sturgis; daughters, Terry Mackie of GA, Vicki (Mark) Stevenson of Rockford, Lisa (Johnny) Roberts of AL, Sallie (Leo) Langlois of Muskegon, Sherri (Ron) Balaskovitz of Muskegon; 12 grandchildren; Ed, Erick, Nick, Jason, Heather, JD, Kelley, Leo, Michelle, Ronald Scooter, Tyler and Emma; 7 great grandchildren; brothers, Arthur Klimek, Stanley "Skip" Klimek; sister, Joanne Hessler; stepsister, Wanda Lazsczak; several nieces and nephews; former wife, Shirley Klimek. Services will be held on Thursday, June 12, 2014, 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Fr. William Langlois presiding and Fr. Antony Britto as concelebrant. Interment at St. Mary's Cemetery. Visitation will be held on Wednesday, 6-8 p.m. at Clock Funeral Home - Muskegon. Memorials can be made to Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Please visit www.clockfuneralhome.com to leave a memory or sign the online guest book.