Obituary for John J. Rajkovich
John J. Rajkovich, 88, of
Ironwood, died Tuesday, July 6, 2010, in Ironwood. He was born March 2, 1922, in Ironwood, son of
the late Andrew and Mary (Tichak) Rajkovich. He attended Ironwood area schools,
graduating from Luther L. Wright High School with the Class of
1940. John then served with the Civilian
Conservation Corps for several months before relocating to Detroit to become
employed in a tool and die plant. That was followed by employment with the U.S.
Army Ordnance tank engine manufacturing plant at the former Hudson Motor Car
Company. John entered the U.S. Army on Jan. 11, 1943
and was assigned to the 820th Tank Destroyer Battalion. He served in the
European Theatre of Operations and was engaged in three epic battles: the Battle
of the Bulge, the Ruhr-Pocket and Central Germany. He was honorably discharged
on Dec. 17, 1945 and was decorated with various ribbons and three Bronze
Stars. In February, 1946, John was employed by Lake
Superior District Power Company as a crewman. He went on to become a journeyman
linesman, operating superintendent and division manager for 15 years. His Lake
Superior District Power Company and NSP career spanned 40 years. Being exceedingly active in civic and
fraternal activities, he was named Man of the Year in 1982 by the Ironwood
Chamber of Commerce. A second such honor was given him in 1993 for his extensive
community service. John had been an active member of the Gogebic Community
College Foundation since 1984 and recipient of a GCC honorary Associate of Arts
degree in 1989. He received an Outstanding Service Commendation from the GCC
Foundation for his many hours of dedicated volunteer service as co-chairman of
the David G. Lindquist Student Center Capital Fund Drive, and was recognized
again in October, 1997 for his support and involvement in advancing the
Foundation's goals. He was extremely dedicated to area economic
development. He served as a board member of the Ironwood Industrial Development
Corporation for 24 years and as president for 16 years. He was a member of the
Gogebic County Economic Development Corporation from 1985 until 2002 and the
Gogebic Organization for Industrial New County (GO INC) from 1972 until
2003. In 2004, John was again honored by the Board
of Trustees of the College by having Room B-22 of the Solin Center for Business
Education named after him. The John J. Rajkovich Room was so named not only in
recognition of his many years of service to the College but also for his diverse
efforts on behalf of economic development of the Gogebic Range. John was inducted into the Ironwood-Hurley
Rotary Club in 1972, serving a term as president, and 15 years as chairperson of
the club's annual Christmas tree fund-raising program. He was also honored with
a Paul Harris Fellowship Award in August, 1989 by the Rotary International
Foundation. John was a life member of Ironwood American
Legion Post 5, Iron County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1580, and Knights of
Columbus Council 1396. He was also a member of 40 et 8 Voiture 397. Other memberships included Gogebic Association
for Retarded Citizens, Bessemer Township Businessmen's Association, Ironwood
Chamber of Commerce and Ironwood Historical Society. He belonged to the Gogebic
County Easter Seals Society and was its president, and the Slovene National
Benefit Society, serving as secretary-treasurer
of Lodge No. 323 for many years.. Past memberships included the Pioneer Park
Housing Commission Board of Directors for 15 years and president for several
terms, Gogebic Range Tamburitzans for 12 years, past school board member of St.
Ambrose-Ironwood Area Catholic Schools and Ironwood Area United
Way. On April 30, 1998, Governor John and Michelle
Engler presented John with a lifetime volunteer recognition awards tribute in
Lansing John always felt individual commitment to,
participation in and support of one's community was a responsibility of each
community member, and John led by example. John was a member of Our Lady of Peace
Catholic Church in Ironwood. On June 29, 1946, John was married to the
former Margaret "Peggy" Miller at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Ironwood by the
late Monsignor J.B. Moriarty. Peggy preceded him in death on Feb. 16,
1989. Survivors include two sons, John A., Ironwood,
and Glen (Nancy), Spokane, Wash.; a daughter, Diane Woiak, and granddaughter,
Alyssa Woiak, both of Eden Prairie, Minn.; a brother, Andy (Syd), Ann Arbor; two
sisters, Ann Valle, Sacramento, Calif., and Catherine Rajkovich,
Wakefield; several nieces and nephews; and a special friend over the years,
Delores Baross, of Ironwood. Besides his parents and wife, John was
preceded in death by a brother, Nicholas; and five sisters, Margaret Gerovac
plus four others who died in childhood, and a sister-in-law, Frances R.
Rajkovich. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
Friday, July 9, at 11 a.m., at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Ironwood,
with the Rev. Darryl J. Pepin, celebrant. Rite of Committal will take place in the St.
Joseph Family Room at the church, where full military rites will be accorded by
the Ironwood American Legion Post 5 Honor Guard and the combined Iron Co. VFW
Post 1580 and Hurley American Legion Post 58 Honor Guard. Luncheon will follow in the parish
hall. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery,
Ironwood. Friends may call in the St. Joseph Family Room
at the church from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Friday. Active pallbearers will be John and Glen
Rajkovich and Randy Woiak. Honorary pallbearers will be David McDonald,
Sr., Robert Paquin, Donald Fortune, Neil Everson, David McDonald, Jr., Paul
Forslund, James Lorenson, Anthony Pollack, Michael Patrick, Raymond Talaska,
James Huss and Donald Foster. Memorial contributions are preferred to either
the Our Lady of Peace Adopt-A-Student Program, Gogebic Community College
Foundation, or Ironwood-Hurley Rotary Club Foundation. To view John's obituary online, sign the
guestbook or express condolences, visit
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home Inc., Ironwood,
is in charge of the arrangements.
Ironwood, died Tuesday, July 6, 2010, in Ironwood. He was born March 2, 1922, in Ironwood, son of
the late Andrew and Mary (Tichak) Rajkovich. He attended Ironwood area schools,
graduating from Luther L. Wright High School with the Class of
1940. John then served with the Civilian
Conservation Corps for several months before relocating to Detroit to become
employed in a tool and die plant. That was followed by employment with the U.S.
Army Ordnance tank engine manufacturing plant at the former Hudson Motor Car
Company. John entered the U.S. Army on Jan. 11, 1943
and was assigned to the 820th Tank Destroyer Battalion. He served in the
European Theatre of Operations and was engaged in three epic battles: the Battle
of the Bulge, the Ruhr-Pocket and Central Germany. He was honorably discharged
on Dec. 17, 1945 and was decorated with various ribbons and three Bronze
Stars. In February, 1946, John was employed by Lake
Superior District Power Company as a crewman. He went on to become a journeyman
linesman, operating superintendent and division manager for 15 years. His Lake
Superior District Power Company and NSP career spanned 40 years. Being exceedingly active in civic and
fraternal activities, he was named Man of the Year in 1982 by the Ironwood
Chamber of Commerce. A second such honor was given him in 1993 for his extensive
community service. John had been an active member of the Gogebic Community
College Foundation since 1984 and recipient of a GCC honorary Associate of Arts
degree in 1989. He received an Outstanding Service Commendation from the GCC
Foundation for his many hours of dedicated volunteer service as co-chairman of
the David G. Lindquist Student Center Capital Fund Drive, and was recognized
again in October, 1997 for his support and involvement in advancing the
Foundation's goals. He was extremely dedicated to area economic
development. He served as a board member of the Ironwood Industrial Development
Corporation for 24 years and as president for 16 years. He was a member of the
Gogebic County Economic Development Corporation from 1985 until 2002 and the
Gogebic Organization for Industrial New County (GO INC) from 1972 until
2003. In 2004, John was again honored by the Board
of Trustees of the College by having Room B-22 of the Solin Center for Business
Education named after him. The John J. Rajkovich Room was so named not only in
recognition of his many years of service to the College but also for his diverse
efforts on behalf of economic development of the Gogebic Range. John was inducted into the Ironwood-Hurley
Rotary Club in 1972, serving a term as president, and 15 years as chairperson of
the club's annual Christmas tree fund-raising program. He was also honored with
a Paul Harris Fellowship Award in August, 1989 by the Rotary International
Foundation. John was a life member of Ironwood American
Legion Post 5, Iron County Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1580, and Knights of
Columbus Council 1396. He was also a member of 40 et 8 Voiture 397. Other memberships included Gogebic Association
for Retarded Citizens, Bessemer Township Businessmen's Association, Ironwood
Chamber of Commerce and Ironwood Historical Society. He belonged to the Gogebic
County Easter Seals Society and was its president, and the Slovene National
Benefit Society, serving as secretary-treasurer
of Lodge No. 323 for many years.. Past memberships included the Pioneer Park
Housing Commission Board of Directors for 15 years and president for several
terms, Gogebic Range Tamburitzans for 12 years, past school board member of St.
Ambrose-Ironwood Area Catholic Schools and Ironwood Area United
Way. On April 30, 1998, Governor John and Michelle
Engler presented John with a lifetime volunteer recognition awards tribute in
Lansing John always felt individual commitment to,
participation in and support of one's community was a responsibility of each
community member, and John led by example. John was a member of Our Lady of Peace
Catholic Church in Ironwood. On June 29, 1946, John was married to the
former Margaret "Peggy" Miller at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Ironwood by the
late Monsignor J.B. Moriarty. Peggy preceded him in death on Feb. 16,
1989. Survivors include two sons, John A., Ironwood,
and Glen (Nancy), Spokane, Wash.; a daughter, Diane Woiak, and granddaughter,
Alyssa Woiak, both of Eden Prairie, Minn.; a brother, Andy (Syd), Ann Arbor; two
sisters, Ann Valle, Sacramento, Calif., and Catherine Rajkovich,
Wakefield; several nieces and nephews; and a special friend over the years,
Delores Baross, of Ironwood. Besides his parents and wife, John was
preceded in death by a brother, Nicholas; and five sisters, Margaret Gerovac
plus four others who died in childhood, and a sister-in-law, Frances R.
Rajkovich. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated
Friday, July 9, at 11 a.m., at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church in Ironwood,
with the Rev. Darryl J. Pepin, celebrant. Rite of Committal will take place in the St.
Joseph Family Room at the church, where full military rites will be accorded by
the Ironwood American Legion Post 5 Honor Guard and the combined Iron Co. VFW
Post 1580 and Hurley American Legion Post 58 Honor Guard. Luncheon will follow in the parish
hall. Interment will be in Riverside Cemetery,
Ironwood. Friends may call in the St. Joseph Family Room
at the church from 9:30 to 11 a.m. on Friday. Active pallbearers will be John and Glen
Rajkovich and Randy Woiak. Honorary pallbearers will be David McDonald,
Sr., Robert Paquin, Donald Fortune, Neil Everson, David McDonald, Jr., Paul
Forslund, James Lorenson, Anthony Pollack, Michael Patrick, Raymond Talaska,
James Huss and Donald Foster. Memorial contributions are preferred to either
the Our Lady of Peace Adopt-A-Student Program, Gogebic Community College
Foundation, or Ironwood-Hurley Rotary Club Foundation. To view John's obituary online, sign the
guestbook or express condolences, visit
mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com. McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home Inc., Ironwood,
is in charge of the arrangements.