John C. Simonik – Honor a Deceased Veteran Ceremony

JOHN CHARLES SIMONIK, SR.
1925-1984

FAMILY HISTORY:
John Charles Simonik, Sr. was born on June 21, 1925 in Plainville, Connecticut to Wallace M. Simonik and Catherine Fimonick Simonik.  John was the brother of Edward Simonik, Wallace Simonik and Theresia Simonik.

EDUCATION:
John was educated in the Troy School District.

HISTORY:
John enlisted in the United States Army on October 10, 1943 during World War II at Camp Upton, New York.  Pfc Simonik served with the 351^st Infantry, 88^th Infantry Division in the Rome Arno Campaign, the North Apennines Campaign and the Po Valley Campaign.  He was a Light Mortar Crewman, assigned as a manipulated angular and deflection devices.  Pfc Simonik became the recipient of the Purple Heart with one Oak Leaf Cluster after being wounded twice during his time in service; once at Mount Grande and then again at Castel del Rio.  He also became the recipient of the European-African-Middle-Eastern Theater Ribbon with three Bronze Stars, Good Conduct Medal, the Combat Infantry Badge and World War II Victory Medal.  Pfc Simonik was honorably discharged on November 7, 1945.

PERSONAL:
On May 1, 1948, John married his wife Joyce Ann Wentzel-Simonik in Sacred Heart Church.  John was the father of two sons; John Charles Simonik, Jr. and Joseph Francis Simonik.  John is also survived by two grandchildren; Joseph Francis Simonik and Stephanie Simonik and several nieces and nephews.

WORK EXPERIENCE:
Before enlisting with the Army, John was employed with Behr-Manning Co.  After discharging from the Army, John was employed with Niagara-Mohawk Power Corp. as an equipment operator, where he retired from after 36 years.

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES/ORGANIZATIONS:
John was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church in Troy.  He was a member of the 25 Year Club of Niagara Mohawk, the North Greenbush Post, American Legion and the Geerholt-Rehm Post, Veterans of Foreign Wars in Wynantskill.

John enjoyed reading, shooting darts and playing cards.