Paul Eugene Neckvasil
January 6, 1936 ~ August 11, 2015 (age 79) 79 Years OldShare using:
Paul Eugene Nekvasil, 79, passed away August 11, 2015 at LaPorte Hospital after a valiant battle against Parkinson’s Disease. Paul was a man who could fix anything, whether it was a leaky faucet, a railroad substation glitch or a 1922 Hupmobile and he could build virtually anything, ranging from barns and houses to a large family. It was the family he built that he was most proud of.
Paul was born on January 6, 1936 in Buchanan, Michigan, the first of seven children born to Vera (Jorgensen) and Paul Nekvasil. He graduated from New Buffalo (Mich.) High School in 1954. On May 19, 1956, Paul married Phyllis Januchowski in New Buffalo and they had six children.
Paul worked as a trackman for the C&O Railroad and a billboard painter for Adcraft Sign Company. He retired from the South Shore Railroad after 34 years, working as a lineman, signal maintainer and a substation foreman. The South Shore honored his loyalty and hard work by naming the Beverly Shores substation "Paul’s Crossover."
Paul was loyal to his family, friends, dogs, the South Shore and Chevy. He was talented, hard-working, resourceful and generous with his time. He had a very a high standard for quality and commitment.
He loved all living things, from people to animals to the flowers and lawn he meticulously tended at the Michigan City home he built. As his family grew, so did the homestead, with Paul hand-digging a basement under the small manufactured house he and Phyllis had purchased when they married and adding an upper level to the house. With no architectural education, he also designed and built a garage, barns and sheds to house his collections.
Paul loved all things mechanical, too, and enjoyed sharing them with others. He was especially proud to show the antique cars he restored at car shows and parades and he loved taking kids for rides in his 1953 Jeep. Paul was well known for plowing snow for everyone he knew (usually with his trusty sidekick, Troubles the Bassett hound, riding shotgun), just because it helped others.
While many wish for those who have passed to rest in peace, this phrase does not apply to Paul. After many years of resting due to disease, now that he is free from the bodily restrictions of Parkinson’s, he is likely very busy in Heaven fixing a car, pruning shrubs, walking a dog, building a barn or plowing some heavenly snow.
He was preceded in death by his daughter, Jean Patricia, his parents and his sister Betty Shail. Survivors include his wife, Phyllis; children Cindy (Mike) Hester, Trish Hill, Ted (Jill) Nekvasil, Suzanne (Mark) Robinson and Amy Nekvasil; grandchildren Jake (Jill) Nekvasil, Jessica Ray, Amanda Rafalski, Alex Nekvasil, Riley Hill, Mitch Robinson, Cooper Robinson and Bradley Nekvasil; great-granddaughter Nora Nekvasil; and siblings Mary Fredenberg, Dick Nekvasil, Frank Nekvasil, Chris Norden and Mike Nekvasil.
Private funeral services were recently held for family. A celebration of life will be conducted at a later date for his many friends, colleagues and family members to honor Paul’s memory. The Ott/Haverstock Funeral Chapel, Michigan City, IN is handling arrangements.
Memorial contributions may be made to He had designated St. Mary of the Lake Catholic School, 718 W Buffalo St, New Buffalo, MI 49117 or Marquette Catholic High School
