"Hank"

Henry J. Pavelchik Jr., “Hank”, age 87, found peace August 19, 2023. Born in Chicago, IL to Henry and Cecylia (Jelen) Pavelchik. Best friend and loving husband of 65 years to Nancy (Groff). Dedicated father to his three sons: Scott (Janice), the late Don, and Jeff (Bonnie). Devoted papa to Adam (Mandy), Matt (Christina), Megan (Sean), Paris, Portia, & Shayla. Proud great papa to Caleb, Cooper, Brently, Oliver, & Nora. Dear brother to the late Delores (the late Ben) and the late Bill (Ruth). Dear father-in-law to the late Renée.

Hank and his family relocated to East Troy during his childhood where he graduated from East Troy High School in 1954. He met Nancy in 1957 when he was the best man at a wedding, and she was a bridesmaid. They married in 1958.

He attended UW-Whitewater before completing mortuary school in Milwaukee. He then fulfilled an apprenticeship program and taught at the mortuary school. In 1963, while working at the Max Sass Funeral Home, Hank and Nancy purchased their first home in Bay View. Their third son was born days later. They lived in Bay View for over 57 years. Hank later changed careers and worked at Purolator Courier before utilizing his woodworking skills at the Marc Plaza Hotel where he worked as a carpenter until his retirement.

Hank had a passion and talent for sailing, painting portraits and scenery, photography, restoring sailboats, creating unique artwork, and carpentry. He designed many hand-crafted custom furniture pieces for his own home and family members. He also did many renovation projects (some which are not quite finished to this day). He was an eager train enthusiast and visited many trains during his travels and had assembled a collection of small-scale trains.

Hank was an avid Sea Scout Leader for over 25 years, and, as he liked to say, taught his three sons to sail before they could walk. Through Sea Scouts, he was involved in a life-size ship exhibit at the Milwaukee Public Museum where he assembled all the rigging.

He loved being on the water in his sailboat, the Nancy Eleanor (lovingly named after his wife). His favorite pastimes were spending time with his family and sailing. He adored his wife, Nancy, and spent much of his retirement in Door County and enjoying bike rides, picnics, and art projects with his young granddaughters.

Hank and Nancy enjoyed traveling and often took road trips to visit family and friends and had traveled together from coast to coast. He volunteered at the Pettit Ice Skating rink for ten years as an ice rink guard where he taught his young granddaughters, and countless other children, how to ice-skate. He had a love for anything Snoopy-related and had acquired a good size collection. He was known in his Bay View neighborhood for his grape growing and homemade wines and loved a rare steak and a good bloody Mary.

Hank will be greatly missed by his wife Nancy, his sons and their families, his grandchildren, and all the many friends he accumulated over the years. As Hank always said, remember to raise your glass and make a toast … cheers!

Visitation will be on Saturday, Sep. 2, 2023, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church (1023 E. Russell Ave) at 9:15-10:45 AM.  A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 AM.