Jack Gilbert Sedlacek
Jack Gilbert Sedlacek, 89, was born Nov. 12, 1932, in Cedar Rapids, son of Milo and Tillie Sedlacek. He entered eternal life May 6, 2022, after a valiant fight against many health issues the past seven years.
A funeral service for Jack was held Thursday, May 12, 2022, at Westminster Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids, with lunch and visitation following. Burial was at the Hopkinton Cemetery. A livestream of the funeral service may be accessed on the funeral home website tribute page for Jack, under photos and videos.
Jack was educated in the Cedar Rapids schools, Arthur, Franklin (midyear Class of 1951) and Coe College, Class of 1961. He served four years (1953-57) in the Air Force as a Weatherman, with duty in Japan and Korea. Jack will be remembered by many as a gifted musician, beginning with his first public appearance on the steps of Brucemore at the age of five, playing his accordion. He continued his musical career playing accordion, tuba, trombone and piano with many local and area bands and as a pianist at the Roosevelt Hotel, Von Maur and the Lighthouse, until his health forced his retirement in 2015. Jack also was an instrumental music teacher at Alburnett and Benton Community Schools. After leaving teaching, he was employed by several contracting and home improvement businesses in the Cedar Rapids area and provided a helping hand to many. His last employment was with the Murdoch Funeral Homes, a job he thoroughly enjoyed.
Jack loved people and never forgot a name in all his years as an educator, a musician and in business, as well as the many medical professionals he met in the past several years. He loved the outdoors, spending many years at a home in the Cottage Reserve Area of Lake McBride and later at the Johnston family farm near Hopkinton. He was active as a member of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Cedar Rapids, serving as an elder, deacon, choir member, Men’s Breakfast organizer and participating in Mission Work Trips.
Jack married Connie Becker in 1959 and later divorced. They were the parents of Jeffrey, John and James. Jack married Joyce Johnston July 1, 1989.
Jack is survived by his wife, Joyce; sons, Jeff (Teresa) Sedlacek of Solon, John (Maria) Sedlacek of Moscow and Jim Sedlacek of Wayland; granddaughters, Sara Sedlacek (Rob Krysh) of West Liberty; Lindsey (Jose) Meza of Solon; Taylor Sedlacek of Iowa City and Cheyenne (Steve) Wirics of Fenton, Mo.; four great-grandchildren, Evzen and Rene Meza and Ruby and Logan Sedlacek-Krysh and sister, Patricia Metcalf of Dayton, Ohio.
Jack was preceded in death by his parents and Patricia’s husband, Charles Metcalf.
Memorial donations may be made in Jack’s name to the Eastern Iowa Honor Flight or Westminster’s Loaves and Fishes.
Please share a memory of Jack at www.murdochfuneralhome.com under obituaries.