John Z. Wojcik

     John Z. Wojcik, age 75, of Peotone, passed away on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, at Riverside Medical Center in Kankakee.  

     He was born on December 27, 1947, in Hohenfels, Germany, the son of Tadeusz and Henrietta (Czosnek) Wojcik. John was a United States Vietnam Navy veteran who served aboard the U.S.S. Kearsarge (CV 33) aircraft carrier. He married his lifelong love, Nancy Lindstrom, on February 14, 1970, in Miller, IN. John worked for Sargent & Lundy as a mechanical engineer for 25 years. He then worked as a project manager in Procurement and Engineering at the Braidwood Power Plant, retiring in June 2007. John’s ultimate hobby was playing golf. He was a member of the Peotone Golf League at Minne Monesse Golf Course in Grant Park, IL, where he developed many friendships. As somebody who could reliably keep his cool, especially on long, difficult putts, John’s golf buddies nicknamed him ‘Ice Water.’ John enjoyed boating, often piloting his craft with family members and friends around the Heidecke and Braidwood lakes.  He would also spend his spare time playing cards with friends, listening to classic rock, grilling a mean steak and drinking Seattle’s Best hazelnut coffee. He was a dog lover, in particular Suki, and enjoyed bird watching.  John was a big sports fan, especially of the Chicago Bears, Blackhawks, and White Sox. He loved going to his children’s and grandchildren’s sporting events and not only cheering them on, but also volunteering his time coaching a number of the teams. He also played 16 in. and 12 in. softball for many years. John was very handy and was able to troubleshoot and fix everything around the house. This included keeping all of the family vehicles running in tip-top shape at what he called “The Wojcik Garage.” His sense of humor was refreshing as he would often crack corny “Dad” jokes. Most importantly, he was known by all to be a wonderful person, a great friend, and a loving, devoted family man. He will be deeply missed.

     He is survived by his wife, Nancy Wojcik of Peotone; his children, Laura (Jason) Drake of Peotone, Ariana Wojcik of Oswego, Karen (Matthew) Singleton of Olympia, WA, and Kevin Wojcik of Peotone; 6 grandchildren, Eva Wojcik, Aidan Wojcik, Grant Singleton, Evvy Singleton, Emma Drake, and Evan Drake; his stepmother, Janina Wojcik; his sisters, Sophie (Rodney Browder) of Sebring, FL and Justine (Chris) Balash of Cincinnati, OH; his brother, Robert (Rebecca) Wojcik of Downingtown, PA; and several nieces and nephews.  He was preceded in death by his parents.

     Cremation rites have been accorded.  A memorial visitation will be held at the Fedde-Helfrich-Cross Funeral Home on Monday, August 28, 2023, from 4:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the wishes of the family.  Share a memory at www.feddehelfrichcrossfh.com