Paul Krivak

Paul Krivak, master storyteller, beloved patriarch, and “leader” of Upper Arlington’s Senior Center Carving Group, died peacefully at his home surrounded by his family on Friday, December 29, 2023. Paul grew up the middle child of six in Hazelton, Pennsylvania primarily raised by his coal-miner first-generation Slovak-immigrant father. Sadly, his mother died due to a heart condition when he was just seven years old. He was described as a reserved, quiet fellow in his high school yearbook; a description sure to elicit a chuckle from those who knew him in later years. After graduating from high school, Paul, set out on an epic journey by ship and train to the village of Bystre, now located in eastern Slovakia in August 1949. He was curious to see for himself if news reports of communist Czechoslovakia were true. He quickly improved his Slovak and settled into rural life with his uncle, a Lutheran minister, and family. He had planned to spend two years studying in Czechoslovakia. The tightening of control by the communist government and a warning from the U.S. Embassy hastened his return to the states and he set out to return in April 1950. He remarked in his travel journal seeing the still badly damaged city of Hamburg from WWII air raids as he made his way back to the United States. Despite the distance and years between visits to Slovakia, the relationship with his cousins and to his cultural heritage, forged during this time, remained strong and an enriching presence throughout his life. Once he settled back in the Pennsylvania, he enrolled at Pennsylvania State University and graduated in June 1954 with a Bachelor of Arts in Arts and Letters with a major in Political Science. Shortly after graduation, he entered military service first in July 1954 and then in December 1955 as a commissioned officer, 2nd Lieutenant in intelligence. He was reassigned to a position driving a truck and narrowly missed a flight that killed all his fellow airmen. His service included time above the north pole in Greenland January 1956 becoming part of the “Order of Midnight Wanders”. He honorably served during the end of Korean War and was awarded the National Defense Service Medal. He left the active service in July 1956, but remained standby for a decade after. He was heavily recruited by the CIA for his language skills, but he chose a different path. He settled into insurance after a short stint teaching and in law school. His insurance career would lead him to accept a transfer promotion from Pennsylvania to Ohio as an Insurance Claims Supervisor in the fall of 1972 for State Auto Mutual. State Auto forbade its employees to date, however he met and began dating Donna surreptitiously in the spring of 1973. Their first date, “down to the woods” to the Hocking Hills would lead to wedding bells January 18, 1974. Their love would nurture, DJ, and welcome Sarah and John into the world. Paul retired from State Auto Companies in January of 1994, but he did not stay retired long. A year later he returned to fill in for vacationers and work part-time until he fully retired twelve years later. He would also moonlight as one-fourth of a paper delivery family empire delivering newspapers nearly ten year beginning in winter 1993. In later years, Paul became an avid and talented wood carver starting first with duck decoys and graduating to all manner of figurines. He also enjoyed the daily comics and could usually be found completing even the most difficult crossword puzzles and cryptograms. He believed profoundly in the power of education and an honest day's work. He loved his ever expanding family and never met a stranger he failed to entertain with a story. Always the critical thinker and with deep-knowledge of the Bible, he relished causing controversy during Bible study and Sunday School at Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church where he regularly attended for many decades. Paul was preceded in death by his parents Andrew and Elizabeth Krivak; sister, Elizabeth; brothers Andrew and John. Paul is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years, Donna “Dene” Krivak; son, David “D.J.” (Karen); daughter, Sarah Marie Krivak Noppen (Michael); son, John (Bethany Reiner); grandchildren, Jeff (Christina), Logan Curtis (Melissa), Britni Brown (TJ), Mareah, Jeremiah, Kamantha Munro (James), Nathaniel, Michael, Logan Hoss, Savannah, Elijah, Bentley and Hank; great-grandchildren, Derex, Aria, Elliott, Oliver Brown, Quinn Brown, Colton Hill, Bellamy Munro and Georgia Munro; sister, Margaret; and sister, Ludmila Hale. A Celebration of Life service will be held at Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church at 3660 Kenny Road in Columbus, Ohio on Thursday, January 11, 2024 at 6:00pm. A small graveside prayer service will be held at Greenlawn Cemetery in Chillicothe, Ohio on Monday, January 15, 2024 at 2:00pm. In lieu of flowers, a donation in honor of Paul can be made to Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church, American Cancer Society, or OhioHealth Hospice.

Paul Krivak

December 9, 1931 - December 29, 2023