Obituary of Frank W. Novak

Frank W. Novak, 91 of rural Oxford died Thursday, December 13, 2007, at Mercy Hospital in Iowa City. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m. Monday, December 17, 2007, at the Oxford United Methodist Church, with burial at Oxford Cemetery. Visitation will be from 3 to 7pm Sunday at the church. Memorial donations can be made in Frank’s memory to Iowa City Hospice or for the caring employees of Bickford Cottage. Online condolences may be sent for his family through the web @ www.gayandciha.com. Frank William Novak was born November 4, 1916, in rural Oxford, the son of Frank L. and Anna M. (Zach) Novak. He married Mary Margaret Kiracofe on February 21, 1939, in Shueyville, Iowa. He has lived and farmed their Century Family Farm for many years before retiring in the mid 1980’s and continued life there before moving to Bickford Cottage in 2006. Frank was a man who enjoyed life, he talked about the fun as a young man playing softball, he loved the outdoors from hunting, fishing, mushrooming, or just watching and appreciating the wildlife. He spent his life on the farm, and he was proud to be a farmer, and his farm was always a showplace to prove it. Frank believed in being the good neighbor, helping out whenever he was needed. He wasn’t a man to turn down a meal, loved to play cards with family and friends, but near and dear to his heart was his family, and living up to his title as the “perfect grandpa”. His family includes his wife, Margaret “Peggy” of Iowa City; son, Richard Novak and wife, Norma of Solon; daughter, Sharon Bryant and husband Bill of Oxford; four grandchildren, Michelle Gnida and husband, Andy of Solon, Colleen Barnett and her husband, Crawford of Rochester Minnesota, Janese Bryant of North Liberty, Jeanna Bryant of Oxford; four great-grandchildren, Louis Frank Gnida, Zebulon Novak Gnida, Eleanor Gnida, and Crawford F. Barnett IV. He was preceded in death by his parents, two sisters, Esther Bowman and Gladys Malatek. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service of Oxford and Iowa City is caring for Frank’s family and his services.