Joseph Cmelik, Jr. (1950-2021)

CMELIK

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 3/2/2021 at 11:04:58

JOSEPH "JOE" CMELIK JR. Cedar Rapids Joseph "Joe" Cmelik Jr., 70, was born Sept. 11, 1950, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and passed from this life Thursday, Feb. 25, 2021, at his home in Yukon, Okla. Serving in the U.S. Navy from 1970-1974, he was stationed in Great Lakes, Ill., Pearl Harbor and Hawaii, as a HM3-hospital corpsman 3rd class. He drove for the commanding officer, Captain Peter Fraily Wells III his last year of service. An exceptional and competitive athlete, he played wide receiver and defensive end in football, guard on the basketball team and first base and pitcher in softball. He extended his athleticism into the U.S. Navy, where he played all three sports, traveling for four years to play in San Diego, Atlanta, Georgia and Boston, along the East Coast and Japan and Hawaii. Joe was a loving father and husband and worked very hard to be a good provider for his family. The majority of his career was in the lumber/building materials industry. He was manager of Payless Cashways Lumber in Clear Lake, Texas, for five years. Moving to Yukon, Okla., in 1995, he helped open the new Lowe's in Yukon and then worked as the operations manager for several years. Joe then transitioned to outside sales with Britton Lumber and then Lumber Shed before retiring in 2020. He was an avid lifelong Iowa Hawkeye fan, supporting them win or lose. After retiring he was able to fly to Florida to watch his Hawkeyes play in a bowl game. Joe thoroughly enjoyed coaching both his sons in Little League baseball and football. He made it to all their games at the middle school and high school level, where he loved to cheer then on and watch their skills improve each season. He became a first time grandparent when Olivia Jade Cmelik was born in June 2019. He loved and enjoyed her so much and looked forward to meeting his second granddaughter in May, but Jesus called him home. Joe is now in heaven watching over all of us. He will forever live in our hearts. Joe was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Richard Cmelik Sr. and mother, Emeline Cmelik. He is survived by his wife, Kathy Cmelik; sons, Nathaniel and Tyler (Kristi); and granddaughter, Olivia, all of Yukon; sisters, Nancy Brousand (Jim), and their son, Brad and Jane Young (Randy), and their daughters, Angela and Stacie; as well as many other beloved family member and friends. Memorial donations may be made to Pets & People, www.etsandpeople.com. Viewing will be held from 9 a.m. until service time at 3 p.m. Wednesday, March 3, at Yanda & Son Funeral Home Chapel, Yukon, with a private interment. Online condolences may be signed at www.yandafuneral.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Yanda & Son Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Yukon, Okla.

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Published in The Gazette on Mar. 2, 2021