Theodore Frank Janik, age 90, went home to our Lord on January 20, 2010. A memorial celebrating his life will be held Tuesday, January 26, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at The Aspen Mortuary, 1350 Simms Street, Lakewood, CO. A luncheon will follow the ceremony.

Ted, as he preferred to be called, was born on March 9, 1919 in Cleveland, Ohio, middle child to Joseph and Stefi Janik. The family moved to Chicago, Illinois in 1920. Ted did not speak English when he started grade school, and always remembered enough Hungarian to communicate effectively. His father was a coppersmith, and his mother was a professional seamstress. Ted graduated from Schurz High School in 1936, and was named to the All City High School Soccer Team. He continued to play semi-pro soccer after high school and also played the violin semi-professionally for the Oak Park Symphony. Ted met Lucille B. Zboril while in high school and they were married on October 6, 1941. He attended the University of Chicago for two years, studying mechanical engineering.

Ted entered the Army-Air Force in 1941; his basic training was held in Rantoul, IL; his advanced training as a B-29 tail gunner was done in Ft. Myers, FL and Lincoln, NE. Ted served through WWII and was on a train headed for San Francisco in August 1945 for Pacific deployment when the war ended.

Ted and Lucille moved from Chicago to Morton Grove, IL in 1951. His first jobs were with Zenith Radio and Pioneer Electric, where he gained valuable experience in the electrical field. In March 1956, he was offered a job at the Martin Company and moved the family to Golden, CO. He worked as a mechanical engineer in various capacities, designed the assembly process for the Titan Missile, and later specialized in electrical drafting. He retired from Martin Marietta in 1975 and joined Ball Aerospace in Boulder the same year, retiring in 1990. Aerospace was his life, as was evident by all three children working at Martin Marietta also.

Ted and Lucille lived in the same house in Golden for 50 years. After Lucille passed away in 2003, Ted stayed for two more years before moving to Buena Vista, CO. He lived independently in his own home until passing away.

Ted is survived by his three children: Dale (Donna) of Blythewood, SC; Susan (Jack) Pullman of Bailey, CO; and David of Buena Vista, CO. He has six grandchildren: Sheila (Henry) Treftz of Aurora, IL; Tory (Heather) Merriman of Centennial, CO; Leigh Amanda (Michael) Janik-Moriconi of Chatham, IL; Aaron Janik of Buena Vista, CO; Dale Alan Janik II of Columbia, SC; Derek Theodore Janik of Rockford, IL - - Ted's Namesake. He also has six great-grandchildren: Morgan Treftz; Douglas Treftz; Skylar Janik; Blake Merriman; Megan Merriman; and Olivia Janik-Moriconi. Ted loved his family and was proud of every one of them. His family loved him dearly and he will be missed by all.

Memorial donations may be sent to: Wounded Warrior Project www.woundedwarriorproject.org 7020 AC Skinner Pkwy, #100 Jacksonville, FL 32256 Please include the name Theodore Janik in your memo. Thank You