Reverend John Gary “Jack” Fondrliak died due to Covid-19 on Tuesday, March 9, 2021 at Charleston Area Medical Center, Charleston, West Virginia at the age of 76 years.
Jack was born in Kenosha, WI on August 31, 1944, the son of John H. and Marjorie (Schweiger) Fondrliak. He was educated in the Kenosha public school system, graduating in the Mary D. Bradford High School class of 1962.
In 1966, Jack received a Bachelor of Science degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, after which he attended Northwestern Lutheran Theological Seminary in Saint Paul, MN. He was ordained into the ministry at Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church in Kenosha, Wisconsin in 1970. During his over 50 years in the ministry, Reverend Fondrliak served as pastor of three churches: Balsam Lutheran Church, Amery, WI; Resurrection Evangelical Lutheran Church in Green Bay, WI; and St. Paul Lutheran Church in Charleston, WV. Most recently he was serving as a supply pastor at St. Christopher Episcopal Church in Charleston.
On August 17, 1968, Jack married Barbara Ann Smith at Saint John’s Lutheran Church in Kenosha, WI. During their 30-year marriage, they had two sons, Jeffery M. (Terri) Fondrliak of Port Saint Lucie, FL and Ryan J. Fondrliak of Cudahy, WI. Although Jack and Barbara divorced in 1998, Jack remained close to their sons and to her, and remained an integral and much-loved part of her extended family.
Jack is survived by his two sons, Jeffery and Ryan, and one brother, Randy H. (Julie) Glud of Kenosha, WI; five grandchildren, Brennan, Hannah, Jordan, Arizona and Taylor. He is further survived by nieces, nephews, special friend and former partner, Larry Boggess of Charleston; former wife, Barbara Stoll of Green Bay, WI and numerous relatives and close friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Ruth (Mike) Talbert; three brothers, James A. (Jackie May) Fondrliak, Gary M. (Vera) Fondrliak, Allen W. Fondrliak, and former in-laws, Jerd and Wilma Smith.
You may visit his Tribute page at AffordableCremationsofWV.com to share memories and offer condolences to the family. Cremation services are being provided by Affordable Cremations of WV, 413 D Street, South Charleston, West Virginia.