Patrick James Svatek (1949 – 2013)

On January 24, 2013 we lost a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend.

Born on the 25th of August 1949, he is preceded in death by his parents Joe H. Svatek and Angeline Riha Svatek, brothers Joe Svatek and Ben Svatek, sister Angie Svatek Boone, and daughter JoAnn Heiling. He is survived by his wife of 40 years, Kathryn Heiling Svatek of Del Valle TX; son Patrick L. Svatek and his wife Cynthia and son Asher of Hollywood MD; son Michael J. Svatek and his wife Shannon, son Dalton, and daughter Sierra of Liberty Hill TX; son Jason A. Svatek and his wife Dayna of Austin TX; daughter Stephanie M. Reed and her husband Kendall of Dale TX; sister Helen Mizera and her husband Antone of Hallettsville TX; sister Lonnie Kelner and her husband Franklin of Palacios TX; and twin sister Patricia Hargus and her husband David of Port Lavaca TX, and many nieces and nephews.

Born in Shiner TX and a graduate of Calhoun High School in Port Lavaca TX, Patrick joined the Navy and served his country aboard the aircraft carrier USS Oriskany (CVA-34) during the Vietnam War. After his honorable Naval service, Patrick earned his Bachelors of Science in Electrical Engineering from The University of Texas in Austin, and joined NASA as an engineer on the space shuttle program. A few years later Patrick moved to Austin to settle down as a Microprocessor Engineer with Motorola, where he retired from in 2004. Patrick enjoyed raising his kids, coaching baseball, fishing, golfing, telling jokes, and gardening (his favorite plant was the Yellow Rose). He was a member of the Knights of Columbus.

His family asks that flowers be sent to Cook-Walden Funeral Home at 6100 North Lamar, Austin TX 78752, or in lieu of flowers, a donation in his memory to the Wounded Warrior Project (woundedwarriorproject.org). A formal visitation will be held from five o’clock to seven o’clock in the evening on Monday January 28th at Cook-Walden Funeral Home 6100 N. Lamar Blvd., Austin Texas, followed by a reciting of the Rosary at seven o’clock. A Memorial service will be at ten o’clock in the morning on Tuesday January 29th. An additional viewing will be held at Sts Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church in Shiner, TX at one o’clock in the afternoon on Wednesday January 30th followed by a mass at two o’clock in the afternoon, with a graveside burial at the Shiner Catholic Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to www.cookwaldenfuneralhome.com.

Published in Austin American-Statesman on January 27, 2013