Robert Pavlik

Robert Joseph Paul Pavlik, Bob, was born October 3, 1946 to Helen, a homemaker, and John Pavlik, a musician and carpenter, in Cleveland, Ohio.  He attended Catholic schools and was fortunate to grow up with a large extended family in Slovak neighborhoods.  At a young age, he developed a love of loud polka music, dancing, and celebrating his proud heritage as a Czech.  His parents recognized that he had a talent for mechanics at a young age and enrolled him in a trade high school with an emphasis in auto mechanics and machinery.  He would remain passionate about cars of all kinds, and especially 50-60’s hot rods.  After High School, Bob joined a number a family members that had enlisted in the US Armed Forces.  His brother John Michael had joined the Navy, his cousins Fred and Les both joined the Army, and Bob chose to serve in the United States Marine Corps.  He would complete a 13 month tour in Vietnam with the famed 1st Marine Division.  He served as a helicopter door gunner and intelligence runner that traveled all over Vietnam.  His time in the Marines and overseas would solidify his values and commitment to his God and country.  Semper Fidelis was a way of life and would always serve as an integral part of his identity.

After returning home from Vietnam, Bob was stationed at El Toro Marine Base in Southern California.  He was honorably discharged after 6 years and frequently voiced remorse that he didn’t do 20 years in the Marines.  He decided to settle in Southern California and began work as a repo man for a bank.  He immersed himself in building hotrods, drag racing, and educating himself for a career.  Through a relentless work ethic, the repo man and gear head managed to get hired at a bank where he grew to the title of Senior Vice President.  He managed a team that oversaw new construction financing in 23 states.  It was during this time of rapid professional growth that Bob met a coworker who would become the love of his life, Zeoda Peterson.  The daughter of a WWII Marine Corps sniper, Zeoda, followed her heart and relented to the fact they were a match made in heaven.  Bob married Zeoda in a light blue tuxedo in Anaheim, CA on July 3, 1976.  They had wanted to get married on the Fourth of July but much to their dismay, churches wouldn’t marry them on the day of our nation’s independence.

Marriage led to a new home in Yorba Linda, CA and the birth of their first child John Paul.  Road trips, camping, and four wheeling were fixtures of free time.  John was 2 months old when he spent his first night out under the desert stars with Bob’s Bronco.  Bob’s CB handle became the “Buckeye Bandit” and Jeeping quickly became a favorite family activity.  Two Jeep CJ-5’s and a Black Ford F-350 pickup became the vehicles for exploring the west.  Other family began to move to the area and now there was a small contingent of the large extended family in one place.  Soon thereafter, their second child Kimberly Marie was born.  Campfires, starlit nights, and other adventures continued.  Bob grew into his new role as Team dad, Scoutmaster, Dancer dad and Indian Guide/Princess Chief.  He enthusiastically accepted these roles as he put aside his lifelong hobbies of working on cars for giving his children an amazing childhood filled with opportunity.  He volunteered his free time to coach and mentor his children and countless others.  He continued to grow professionally, spiritually, and as a family man.  In his other limited free time, he served on the Orange County Sheriffs Advisory Council.  His favorite holidays were the Fourth of July and Christmas.  He was a founding member of the Hickory Tree Lane Gang- a group of enthusiastic neighborhood parents that assured the local kids had the opportunity to celebrate the holidays with bike parades, BBQ’s, sports, music, games and good ole fashion fun.  Those days were celebrated well.

Fast forward several years and Bob saw to it that both of his kids went to religious high schools.  Much to the embarrassment of his children, at times, he was the loudest and proudest football and cheer dad out there.  After becoming empty nesters, Bob and Zeoda gravitated toward the St. Martin DePorres Catholic church.  They met some lifelong friends and joined the Small Christian Community group and RCIA. After his children finished school and moved away, he became more involved with watching his great niece and nephews grow up nearby. Band performances, Soccer games, Karate, art shows and holidays spent with extended family were an important part of life.  Bob got back into cars and joined the Good Guys Car Club where he showed a ’00 Mustang Cobra R, a ‘55 Chevy 210 and later a ’67 Chevelle.  Soon, retirement loomed for Bob.  He finished his career in construction lending, managing a division that built and remodeled churches of all faiths across the US.  Professionally, it was a very proud finish.

Bob and Zeoda soon packed up to move to Colorado after seeing their kids move away.  He spent the last 6 years of his life, in Lakewood, Colorado where he started a new chapter and fell into a fabulous group of friends from his Churches- St. Jude and Christ on the Mountain, his neighborhood, and car clubs.  He was a member of the American Legion post 178, the Veterans of Foreign Wars post 4171 and he volunteered for the US Federal Government.  He lived to see both of his children get married and shared his love with his 3 beautiful grandchildren- Boden, Hailey and Weston.  Bob left us too soon on January 22, 2022.  He was surrounded by family and fought to the bitter end.  His legacy of love, balance, selflessness, and relentless hard work will serve as the cornerstone of his family.  Son, Husband, Father, Cousin, Uncle, Grandfather, Friend, MARINE…you will be missed.

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