Thomas B. Ivancic, 88, Biggest Joy Was Family Get-Togethers

He was a life-long resident of Elyria Township and a 1948 graduate of Clearview High School. Following graduation, he was employed in the Pipe Mill Accounting Department of U.S. Steel Corporation in Lorain. He spent sixteen years in the service station business first with Sunoco and then Sohio. He purchased Robinson Dry Cleaners and operated it into the mid 1990’s. Thomas planned and had built Riviera Swim Club in Lorain. It opened in 1964 and was enjoyed by many families until it was sold to the Croatian Club in 1997. He was also a member of the Naval Reserve but was never called to active duty.

Tom was an active member of St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Elyria for over fifty years and was the recipient of the Holy Name Society Man of the Year Award. He also served as an usher at church for many years and as a server for parish funerals. He lent a helping hand in making pumpkin roll for the Holy Name fundraisers and nut and poppy seed roll for the Altar & Rosary Society fundraisers. He was known to help out with minor church repairs with other parish members over the years. He was a member of the Sheffield lions Club for over forty-four years and had held positions as an officer. Volunteering his time for the Lions Club fundraising was a way he gave back.

He enjoyed attending soccer games that his grandchildren played in from grade school through high school. His biggest joy was family get-togethers for birthdays and holidays. He spent countless hours in his garden and yard and he and his wife enjoyed traveling both domestically and throughout Europe. His mid-life crisis was getting his private pilot’s license and owning a plane.

He was preceded in death by his first wife Irma (nee Tomak), parents John and Frances (nee Knez) Ivancic, and siblings John, Frank, William, Mary, and Johanna.

He is survived by his second wife Alexandria (nee Muzilla), children Karen (Robert, Jr.) Pekare, Sheri (David) Haponek and Thomas M. (Kimberly) Ivancic, grandchildren Kourtney (Roosevelt) Williams, Ryan (Jamie) Pekare, Robert J. (Lori) Pekare, Kaitlin Pekare, Kelsey Pekare (fiancée Justin Stump) Kevin Haponek and Chad (Brittney) Haponek, along with great grandchildren Jonathan and Charlotte Williams, Gavin and Henry Pekare, and Parker and Cruz Haponek.

The members of the St. Vincent Altar and Rosary and Holy Name Societies will recite the rosary on Sunday at 2:45 p.m. in the Gluvna-Shimo-Hromada Funeral Chapel, 3224 Broadway Avenue, Lorain. Visitation will follow from 3:00 until 7:00 p.m. Funeral services will be Monday beginning at 10:00 a.m. in the funeral chapel; a Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 a.m. in St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church, 41295 North Ridge Rd. Elyria Township. Reverend John C. Retar will officiate. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, Tom requested donations in his memory to either the Easter Seals Society or Mercy Health Cancer Center.

To share your memories and condolences with the Ivancic Family, please visit www.gluvna.net.