John Kuriscak

John Kuriscak was born in the tiny village of Čukalovce, Czechoslovakia, to Mary (Kimak) and John, on April 16, 1938, and passed away peacefully in Niagara Hospice House in Lockport on September 7, 2024. A WWII survivor, at age 9 he crossed the Atlantic on the Queen Mary with his mother.

Besides his military service in Germany as a medic (1961-1962), he lived his life in Niagara Falls, NY. After graduating from Trott Vocational School in 1959 and then apprenticing, he joined the Carpenter’s Local 280 Union and worked on many construction sites in Western New York until his retirement in 1992. He met Patty Hogan in 1965 and they married in Youngstown on August 17, 1968. He and Patty not only raised two children but also devoted much care to other family members and friends. John had a very special relationship with his mother and was always there for his younger siblings: Eric and Steve Kuriscak and Jeannette Mittenmaier.

John leaves to cherish his memory his wife Patty, his children Lisa (Koldo) and Kenny (Michelle), granddaughters Morgan and Marianna, brother-in-law Robert Mittenmaier, nieces Jenny Pumphrey and Laura Lynn Smith, and many friends whom he touched over his long and rich life. 

John loved spending time outdoors, such as gardening, observing nature, golfing with buddies, and mowing his lawn. He also loved cooking traditional Slovak foods, making birdhouses, watching westerns and Star Trek, being with his family, and enjoying the simple pleasures in life. John’s style was playful, feisty, and confident. Always uncensored and full of spunk, he liked to ruffle others’ feathers but never with the intention of causing harm, rather as a way to connect. He was incredibly perceptive, and just by looking at someone he could tell if they were hurting or needed to talk. He liked to help people, and when he committed to doing something, he followed through until he was fully satisfied with the result. There was nothing that he couldn’t do without his wife at his side, a hammer, and a shot of vodka. He never doubted his intuitions nor held back on giving of his time and resources, his opinion, or his love and commitment to his family.

His approach to life was rooted in a strong belief in God, a curiosity to know how things work, a desire to improve how he did things, and an appreciation for the beauty in nature and human interactions. He loved to engage in deep reflections with others about religion, spirituality, philosophy, and the state of the world. Age smoothed him a little around the edges but never dulled his spark or his core values and priorities, and up until the very end he lived life in his own unique way—always a force to be reckoned with, dedicated to his family, and spiritually guided.

His family will be present on Thursday from 3-7 PM at the RHONEY FUNERAL HOME, 5893 Hoover Road, SANBORN, NY, where funeral services will be held on Friday at 10:00 AM, with the Rev. Susan C. Keppy officiating.

Memorials may be in his name to Niagara Hospice, 4675 Sunset Drive, Lockport, NY  14094.

Interment with military honors in St. Michael Archangel Cemetery.

Visit www.rhoneyfuneralhome.com, for guest register.

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