Robert Falak (1925 – 2006)

Robert L. Falak, age 81 a resident of Kenosha died Sunday October 1, 2006 at Brookside Care Center.

Born on January 9, 1925 in Kenosha, he was the son of the late Julius and Gisella (Blasch) Falak.

On November 15, 1946 he married Natalie (Sally) Budzinski at St. Casimir Catholic Church in Kenosha. She preceded him in death on July 9, 1991.

He attended local schools and graduated from Lincoln Junior High and Mary D. Bradford High School. He also attended Gateway Technical College and Northwestern University.

He served in the US Army from April 24, 1943 to February 1946. He achieved the rank of Technical Sergeant. He served overseas in the Pacific Theatre of Operations for 14 months. He also served in the tank destroyers in Okinawa. Upon the completion of WWII, he was assigned to the Engineering Supply Division as the first occupation group of Korea.

Prior to his military service, he was employed by the Frost Company. After his service, he was employed at the Simmons Company for a period of six months as a machine operator, and then joined American Motors in the Human Relations Division where he worked for 41 years. He retired on January 31, 1987.

He was a member of St.Mary Catholic Church and served on the Building and Grounds Committee, the Personnel Committee and the Inns program Committee. He also served as manager of the Little League Baseball Program, a member and past president of the American Motors Supervisors Club, the Personnel Committee of the AMC Credit Union and the Chairman of the Kenosha Manufacturers Association EEOC Committee. He was a lifetime member of the VFW. He loved to golf, was an avid sports fan, and loved to attend sporting events.

He is survived by two daughters; Camille (Richard) Ziminski of Salida CO, Roberta Tatro of Greenfield MASS; two brothers Dr. Julius (Elaine) Falak of Morwell, Victoria Australia, Ronald (Ann Marie) Falak of Addison IL; two grandchildren Brion (Hannia) Ziminski of Denver CO, Kate Ziminski of Boulder CO and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, brothers Peter (Dorothy) Engelman, Ernest (Helen) Engelman, John (Margaret) Falak, and sister Edna (Chester) Marcoe.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday October 5, 2006 at 6:00PM at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Kenosha. (7307-40th Avenue) Visitation will be held on Thursday at the church from 4:00PM until the time of mass. Entombment with full military honors and bag pipes will take place on Friday morning at 10:00AM at All Saints Catholic Mausoleum.

In lieu of flowers, memorials would be appreciated to the Shalom Center, the Inns Program or St. Mary Catholic Church.