Henry (Hank) Dvojack |
| Posted 2009-11-24 by Sharla |
| West Valley View, Avondale, Arizona January 30, 2007 Henry "Hank" Dvojack, 86, a former Buckeye mayor and town councilman and a veteran activist, died Jan. 23, 2007, at the Jerry L. Pettis Memorial Hospital in Loma Linda, Calif. Mr. Dvojack was born June 30, 1920, in Calumet City, Ill. After graduating from high school in 1939, he joined the Army and served with "the Big Red One"- the 1st Infantry Division - during World War II. Dvojack went on to become a staff sergeant in the Army Signal Corps, fighting in in Africa, Sicily, Germany and Czechoslovakia. He also was part of the second wave of soldiers to hit the beach at Normandy on D-Day. Dvojack was discharged in 1945, and in September of that year, he married Irene Kleinman. The couple moved in 1960 to Buckeye, where he worked for Arizona Public Service Co. until his retirement in 1982. After retiring, Dvojack served on the Buckeye Town Council for 14 years, one of those as mayor. He and his wife moved to San Dimas, Calif., last year. Love for the VFW During his time in Buckeye, Dvojack was an active member of the Elks Lodge and almost single-handedly headed Veteran Foreign Wars Post 1826 "for almost as long as any local can remember," he said in the March 10, 2004, edition of the View. Later that year, Dvojack made the decision to "consolidate" his VFW Post in Buckeye with the one in Goodyear because of financial hardships. "We've lost so many members that it doesn't pay to stick together. I don't like to see us leave the town of Buckeye, but it's just a case of necessity," Dvojack said at the time. "You're sitting there and paying out all of the bills, and you don't have anything coming in. If you aren't making money, you're just spending money." Buckeye's post had seen its membership fall from a peak of 52 to its historic low of "30-some," Dvojack estimated. "And right now, I have three active members: me and two others. You don't do much with three people in their 70s and middle 80s." Luring younger veterans to the organization proved difficult, Dvojack said. "We've lost a lot of people who said they wanted to join, but as soon as we tell them there's no bar, they say, 'Well, I'll see you later.'" Trying to understand the disinterest in VFW organizations among younger veterans also was difficult for Dvojack. "I don't understand it. I mean, you went over there, risked your life. People used to recognize you for that. But now? Nah. They don't do that no more," he said. Team work Dvojack's love for the community extended to his service on the Buckeye Town Council during the 1980s and '90s. In 2000, Dvojack sought unsuccessfully to fill a vacated council position created when then-Vice Mayor John Hawley resigned. "I think I can help the town. I want to work with the council, not against them," Dvojack said. "Individualism doesn't work on the council. You can have your own opinion, but you still need to respect others' opinions. I don't care if I win; I just would like someone on the council who likes the town and wants to take care of the town." His final run for public office proved unsuccessful. Dvojack is survived by his wife, Irene; one daughter, Nancy Adcox of San Dimas, Calif.; two sons, Daniel Sr. of Silver City, N.M., and Timothy of Pittsburg, Calif.; four grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. A service will be held at 1:45 p.m. Feb. 6 at Riverside National Cemetery, 22495 Van Buren Boulevard in Riverside, Calif. Frank Morris can be reached by e-mail at fmorris@westvalleyview.com. See Also: Find A Grave |
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