James Junior Jirik

Monday, February 11, 2008

May 12, 1928 - Feb. 8, 2008

GAINESVILLE, GA. -- James Junior Jirik, a resident of Gainesville, Ga., died Feb. 8, 2008, of complications from congestive heart failure.

Mr. Jirik was born in Palisade on May 12, 1928, and was a member of the Class of 1945, of Palisade High School. After attending Nebraska Wesleyan University for a brief period, Mr. Jirik served in the U.S. Navy from 1950 through 1954, achieving the rank of Fire Control Technician, First Class.

After his service in the Navy, he attended and graduated in 1958, from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor of Science degree, with distinction, in electrical engineering. Following college, Mr. Jirik embarked on a 30-year engineering career with E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company in Parkersburg, W.Va. Soon after retiring from DuPont, Mr. Jirik and his wife, Mary Shallcross Jirik, moved to Covington, Ga.,where they lived for seven years.

In 2005, Mr. and Mrs. Jirik moved to Gainesville. Mr. Jirik was a member of Gainesville First United Methodist Church and its Comet Class. Apart from spending time with his grandsons, his favorite pastimes included golf, woodworking, and following the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. He was also a devoted Mended Hearts volunteer at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center, where until just days before his passing he offered help and encouragement to heart disease patients and their families.

Mr. Jirik was preceded in death by his parents, James and Orpha Jirik of Palisade and his brother, George Albert Jirik, of Raton, N.M.

He is survived by his wife of 55 years, Mary Shallcross Jirik; his two daughters, Jeanne Jirik of Miami, Fla, and Julie Jirik Pennington of Gainesville; his son-in-law, Robert G. Pennington of Gainesville; and his two grandsons, Joseph William Pennington and John Edward Pennington of Gainesville. He is also survived by his brother, Leroy Jirik, of Littleton, Colo.; his sister-in-law, Gwynne Jirik, of Windsor, Colo.; and his sister-in-law, Joan Shallcross Farley and her husband, Gene Farley, of Bellevue.

A memorial service for Mr. Jirik will be 11 a.m. on Wednesday, at Gainesville First United Methodist Church, Rev. Tom Jones officiating.

The family will receive friends and visitors in the Gathering Room of the church at 10 a.m. and immediately after the service.

In lieu of flowers, those so desiring may make memorial donations to Mended Hearts, Chapter 302, c/o Northeast Georgia Medical Center, 743 Spring Street, Gainesville, Ga. 30501.

Online condolences may be sent to masonandwardfuneralhomeandcremationservices.com.

Arrangements made by Mason & Ward, Gainesville.