Frank John Dijak

Frank John Dijak, beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, brother, uncle and friend went to be with Our Lord Jesus on April 2, 2018.  He left behind a legacy of a life filled with love, commitment, and faith.  He was the patriarch of a family that will miss him dearly. His wife of 60 years, Patricia (Owczarzak), children Michelle Baumgarten, Judy (Jim) Clark, Laura (Michael) Rybak, and Frank P. (Kelli) Dijak, 11 grandchildren who he adored Ariel (Michael) Brazzale, Sam (Megan) Clark, Brad Baumgarten, Kristen (Brent) Ruder, Shaun Rybak, Katye (Steven Tuyo) Clark, Holly Rybak, Abby (Kyle) Horlacher, Frank J. Dijak, Jeffrey Rybak, and Stephanie Dijak. He was also blessed with 5 (soon to be 6) great grandchildren who always brought a smile to his face: Avram, Blaise, Charleston, Celeste, Eliza and soon Henry.  He was the youngest son of Stanley and Louise Dijak who immigrated from Yugoslavia for a better life in the United States and settled in Whiting, IN. Frank was proud of his Croatian heritage and his Whiting roots and often talked of his many escapades with friends from the Goose Island area.  2 brothers, Stanley and Joseph, and 5 sisters, Dancy, Agnes, Fran, Dorothy, and Rosie, preceded him in death and blessed him with numerous loving nieces and nephews. 

His favorite hobby was fishing with his brother Stanley and later up to Canada with his good friend Fred and his sons and buddies, and thanks to them he was still able to enjoy those Canadian fishing trips well into old age even when his health should have kept him away.  He believed that there was no better place to give glory to God than in the solitude of a crystal clear lake, nestled between the mountains, with the whisper of an eagle’s wings breaking the silence.  That is where you would hear him leading a chorus of How Great Thou Art, because if the fish weren’t biting then the whole boat would be singing. 

In his younger days, he enjoyed many good hunting trips to Wisconsin with his cousin Chuck or with his Uncle George.  It was always a good Thanksgiving when he drove home ready to pack the freezer with venison. 

Frank was an electrician with the LTV wire gang most of his life and was proud to have built his home in Highland where he was a member of Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church for 56 years and where he raised his family with his lovely Patsy. He loved to travel and took his family all over the United States visiting State and National Parks, tent camping and Skamper camping, singing around the campfire, creating many stories and good memories and often leaving fellow campers wondering how so many people can fit in one little pop up trailer. Later he and Patsy traveled around Europe, reconnected with his relatives still in Croatia,  and visited Alaska and Hawaii.

His advice to all his grandchildren is:   if you open a can of pop, always drink it all and to everyone:  take the opportunity to travel when you can, see the world and make new friends – all of which he did.

Frank loved the children and even in his final days they were his joy. The family asks that donations can be made in his name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Visitation will be Thursday, April 5, 2018 at Hillside Funeral Home & Cremation Center 8941 Kleinman Rd. (one block south of Ridge Rd) Highland, IN, 46322 from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Funeral Mass will be 10:30 am, Friday April 6, 2018, at Our Lady Of Grace Church, 3025 Highway Ave., Highland, IN, with Rev. Edward Moszur officiating.  A prayer service will be Thursday at 3:30 pm. 

For additional information, please contact Hillside Funeral Home & Cremation Center Konnie Kuiper-Kevin Nordyke by calling us at 219-838-0800 or visiting us at www.hillsidefhcares.com

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