John Simko

John Simko, 101, of Havre, passed away on Thursday, April 17, 2014, at the Care and Comfort Home of natural causes. A rosary service will be held at 7 p.m. on Thursday, April 24, 2014, at Holland & Bonine Funeral Chapel. Mass will be held at noon on Friday, April 25, 2014, at St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church with Father Daniel Wathen officiating. Memorials may be made in John's memory to St. Jude Thaddeus School, the Care and Comfort Home, Eagles Manor or to the charity of the donor's choice. Holland & Bonine Funeral Home has been entrusted with services and arrangements. Memories and condolences can be posted at http://www.hollandbonine.com.

John was born Sept. 14, 1912, in Vidora, Saskatchewan, Canada, to Mike and Meri (Elias) Simko. He was raised in Vidora and attended school there until the age of 13 when his family migrated to Chinook in a covered wagon and soon after their arrival, homesteaded north of Havre where John remained working on the farm until his entry into the U.S. Army in March 1942. Due to illness, he was honorably discharged and returned to the farm. In 1946 John moved to town in Havre and began working for the U.S. Postal Service where he worked for over 30 years until his retirement in 1977. John spent his retirement years helping his brother George on the family farm as well as continuing the caretaking and chauffeuring of his sisters and spending time with nieces and nephews. After selling his home, he resided in the Eagles Manor for a number of years before entering the Care and Comfort Home in December 2011.

John was a kind, quiet, humble man who was known as a true gentleman to all. He enjoyed tinkering and was a great mechanic who loved to work on vehicles and equipment of all kinds and was especially proud of his Fords. Although John never married or had children of his own, he was the guardian and caretaker to not only his parents and sisters, but to family members of all ages. His nieces and nephews adored him. As first-graders, a great-niece and nephew got into an argument at St. Jude Thaddeus School when they met each other for the first time and discovered they both had an "Uncle Johnny." and they were even more surprised to realize they were talking about the same man. Neither one was willing to relinquish their ownership or even consider sharing. They soon came to realize his heart was big enough for both of them, and they didn't have to give up their rights to this special Uncle. Every niece and nephew was fascinated by the size of this small framed man's biceps which in later life they came to know he had gained those through extremely hard work, as well as the size of his hands. Those large hands were ever so gentle. At family gatherings they would fight to sit by him and hold these hands they were so amazed at. He truly loved not only family but all of their friends as well and in return he was loved by all. Everyone in town knew "Uncle Johnny." He will be sorely missed.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Mike and Meri Simko; brothers, George and Joe and half-brother Mike; sisters, Mary Hiebert-Neuwerth, Helen Marzolf, Elizabeth Wold, Margaret Greene and Sophie Clark; brothers-in-law, Pete Hiebert, Leonard Wold, James I. Clark, Richard Greene and Walt Neuwerth; nephews Billy, Bobby and Benny Hiebert and Jim Clark; and nephew-in-law, Robert Waid; and great nephews, Jimmy Clark, Dustin DeBolt and Brent Waid.

John is survived by his sister-in-law, Minnie Simko of Havre; brother-in-law, Norm Marzolf of Butte; as well as nieces and nephews and their families: Betty Clark, Tim and Anna Marie Clark, Susan and Dean Lotton, Cathy and Dave Lambrecht, Betty Waid, Dick Clark, Mary Ann Grossman, George Simko, Becky DeBolt, Patty Simko and 37 great nieces and nephews as well as 34 great-great nieces and nephews.

Having taken care of his loved ones, John's work on earth was now finished and his time had come to rest his body and soul and be with the God he had always worshiped, trusted, believed in and modeled his own life after. Rest in peace, John. Job well done.