John A. Vakulskas Sr 1918 - 1999

VAKULSKAS, SMITH

Posted By: Connie Swearingen-Volunteer (email)
Date: 11/1/2014 at 20:12:06

Sioux City Journal
8 May 1999

John A. Vakulskas Sr., 80, of Sioux City died Wednesday, May 5, 1999, at a Sioux City hospital.

Services will be at 10 a.m. today at St. Francis Catholic Church, with the Rev. John A. Vakulskas Jr. officiating and Monsignor Richard E. Zenk as the homilist. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, with a flag presentation conducted by American Legion Monahan Post 64. Arrangements are under the direction of Larkin Morningside Funeral Home.

Mr. Vakulskas was born Oct. 4, 1918, in Sioux City, the son of Anton "Tony" and Mary Vakulskas. He graduated from East High School in 1937. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1937 to 1941.

He married Mary A. Smith on June 7, 1942, in Sioux City. He was employed at Norfolk Naval Shipyards in Portsmouth, Va. from 1942 to 1943. He served in the U.S. Army in the South Pacific from 1944 to 1946. He was employed as a postal clerk with the U.S. Post Office in Sioux City from 1947, until retiring in 1975. He then was employed with the Sioux City School System, where he delivered school lunches for the hot lunch program for nine and a half years.

He was a member of St. Francis Catholic Church, where he served as a former lector and sang in the choir. He was a member of United Federation of Postal Clerk Local 186, Third Degree Knights of Columbus Epiphany Council 743, Garrigan Assembly Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus, Boys of 68', and a former member of American Legion Edward H. Monahan Post 64. He enjoyed baseball.

Survivors include his wife; two sons, the Rev. John A. Jr. of Larchwood, Iowa, and Thomas A. and his wife, Barbara of Sioux City; two daughters, Janet V. Masteller of Sioux City and Maria V. and her husband, Ron Rosmann of Harlan, Iowa; three brothers, Joseph and his wife, Veronica and Peter and his wife, Mercedes, all of Sioux City and Charles of Lawton, Iowa; two sisters, Ann Bouyok and Bernice Lemek, both of Sioux City; 11 grandchildren, Lori Yates, Jim, Peter, Jane and Michael Masteller, Brian, Molly and Daniel Vakulskas, David, Daniel and Mark Rosmann; and two great-grandsons.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a son-in-law, Phil Masteller; two brothers-in-law, Mike Bouyok and Ted Lemek Sr.; and a sister-in-law, Georgia Vakulskas.

Pallbearers will be Brian Vakulskas, David and Ron Rosmann, Peter, Jim and Michael Masteller.