March 18, 2001, Sunday, Five Star Lift Edition
Copyright 2001 St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Inc.
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
March 18, 2001, Sunday, Five Star Lift Edition
(ST. LOUIS) -- Joseph R. Rakonick, a retired police sergeant who served more than 35 years with the St. Louis Police Department, died Wednesday (March 14, 2001) at his home in Spanish Lake of complications from back surgery and a heart condition. He was 89.
Mr. Rakonick was born in St. Louis. He worked as a shoemaker at the old Hamilton-Brown Shoe Co. in St. Louis in the 1930s.
In 1943, Mr. Rakonick began working for the St. Louis Police Department, but he took two years off to serve in the Navy in World War II. He returned to St. Louis and the Police Department and became a sergeant in the old 12th District in 1962.
Mr. Rakonick retired in 1976. He returned to work as a civilian in communications at police headquarters downtown for five years.
Mr. Rakonick was a member of the American Legion and the St. Louis Police Officers Association.
His wife, Viola Feldhaus Rakonick, died in 1955. He married June Brown Rakonick of Spanish Lake in 1956.
Visitation will be from 1 to 9 p.m. Sunday at Buchholz Spanish Lake Mortuary, 1645 Redman Road. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Monday at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 12110 Larimore Road, Spanish Lake. Interment will be at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery.
In addition to his wife, among survivors are a daughter, Joan Walsh of Florissant; a brother, John Rakonick of Florissant; two sisters, Adelaide Zambruski of Florissant and Marie Cicotte of St. Louis County; five grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society, 4072 Lindell Boulevard, St. Louis, Mo. 63108; or the American Heart Association, Memorial Processing Center, 5375 Southwest Seventh Street, Topeka, Kan. 66606.