John J. Sawicki, 69, of 27 Superior St., Gile, died Saturday., Jan. 8, 2011, in his home, surrounded by his loving family, following a courageous four-month battle with mesothelioma.      He was born Oct. 29, 1941, in Mt. Carmel, Penn., son of the late John and Angela (Laskoski) Sawicki, and graduated from Mt. Carmel High School in 1960. He then worked in a foundry in Philadelphia for a short time.      John began his career in the U.S. Coast Guard in Nov. of 1960, serving his country for 21 years on cutters on the Great Lakes, in Hawaii, on the East Coast, and at the South Pole aboard the cutter Glacier, retiring as Master Chief Machinery Technician in Sept. of 1981 and moving to Montreal and then to Gile.      In his retirement, John received an associate of arts degree in auto mechanics from Gogebic Community College in 1983 and worked alongside Al Skelton, department instructor, as an aide for three years. He then was employed as a mechanic at Bertagnoli Distributing in Hurley for a short time and at Bunny Bread for ten years, worked as a rack man at Bessemer Auto for several years, and was employed as a salesman for NAPA for eight years. John also serviced golf carts at the Gogebic Country Club and at Eagle Bluff. At the time of his death, he was a bus driver for Schilleman's Bus Service in the Hurley School District.      John was a member of St. Mary of the Seven Dolors Catholic Church in Hurley and Hurley American Legion Post 58. He loved to teach kids the fundamentals of baseball and coached competitive baseball from Little League to Babe Ruth League to high school boys baseball for 20 plus years in Hawaii, New Jersey, Minnesota, Hurley, and Bessemer, Mich. He played hardball on Coast Guard teams in Hawaii and oldtimer's softball in the Coast Guard and on the Gogebic Range. He loved to golf and was a member of Eagle Bluff Club. He also worked on the chain gang for Hurley football from 1983 to the present.      John was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and friend to all, and was always quick with a joke. He will be dearly missed.      On July 7, 1962, he married the former Bonnie L. Wicklund of Gile in Duluth, Minn. She survives.      Also surviving are two sons, Troy (Sandy), Appleton, and Todd (Karen Hansen), Fond du Lac; a daughter, Tammy (Andy) Rowe, Saxon; six grandchildren, Nicholas Effinger, Ashley Sawicki, Courtney Sawicki, Toddie Sawicki, and Jacob and Cameron Rowe; brothers-and-sisters-in-law, Jim and Kate Wicklund, Montreal, Dale Wicklund, Gile, and Geri Wicklund, Arkdale; and numerous nieces and nephews and many close friends.      Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by two sisters, Dolly Bojako and Sylvia Cimino.      Out of respect for John's wishes, cremation has taken place.      Visitation will be held from 10 a.m. until noon on Wednesday, Jan. 12, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Hurley, followed by a Memorial Mass celebrated at noon, with the Rev. Frank Kordek, O.F.M., celebrant.      Full military rites will be accorded by the U.S. Coast Guard Station Bayfield Honor Detail and the combined Hurley American Legion Post 58 and Iron Co. V.F.W. Post 1580 Honor Guard.      Luncheon will follow at the Iron Nugget in downtown Hurley.      To view John's obituary online, sign the guestbook and express condolences, visit mckevittpatrickfuneralhome.com.      Arrangements are entrusted to McKevitt-Patrick Funeral Home and Cremation Services of Ironwood.