Joseph Anthony Cervac, Jr.

Joseph Anthony Cervac

April 14, 1957 - March 15, 2022

By Lisa Cervac
My favorite memories of Joey are of Christmas eve at Joey’s parents, my Uncle Babe and Auntie Norma’s house on Michigan Avenue.  A magical time as children with magical people.
The house was filled with laughing parents and grandparents and the smell of bukala and anchovies. There were swarms of kids playing, hiding and having a fabulous time, tripping over piles of coats and feet… everywhere feet. Grandma Parenti’s feet (big and strong Italian Iowa farm girl feet), Grandma Dahl’s (frail and pale Swedish feet), so many sets of uncle's feet (Jack, Eddie, Willie and Babe)… brother after brother after brother… (laughing and arguing and telling stories and never sitting down feet),  Grandma Cervac’s feet (tiny and diminutive and oh so quiet… thinking of patiza, Croation feet) so many aunty’s feet and my mom’s feet (pink, petite and moving so fast (how did they do that?) Oh the sights and smells of Christmas eve. The wonderful noises. Oh what wonderful memories. 
After dinner down to the basement all of us kids would go. That basement was FILLED to the brim with stuff that as kids, we were small enough to fit under and over and under again. 
But before dinner, all seven of us kids (two more would follow in years to come) played the many years long monopoly game that was annually pushed to the side in the room where the Christmas tree was. Joey ALWAYS had the car. The argument at the start of the game was always about who would get the car and the argument always ended with Joey taking rightful possession. 
Joey was all about that car, he and his dad built that monopoly car, and ran it in the Highland Park derby race. Down Central avenue, lined with bales of hay, hundreds of kids flew.  I have No idea how fast those cars would go, but I DO know Joey loved it. 
Joey was a skilled craftsman, gardener and built beautiful ponds. He loved to fish and visit with friends. 
Joe was deeply loved. He chose a very hard road in life and carried a lot of baggage. But despite that, he laughed so easily, he had an incredibly quick wit, and a sharp tongue when he needed it. He built those beautiful gardens and ponds for people he loved. He was a good friend and was blessed to have many. He loved hard and boy he could stay angry. That is who he was and he was who he was fully and without hesitation. Anyone that knew Joe, knew the love never went away even in that anger. More than anything, as we all do, Joey sought respect and peace. He will be missed by his sisters Sue and Kim, his uncles, aunts, nephews and nieces and his cousins. He will also be missed by the friends God blessed him with. Especially Claude and Mary. Safe journey my friend, my cousin. We celebrate you. 
sigurno putovanje prijatelju. (Croation for safe travels)
 

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