Franklin Joseph ‘Joe’ Nowack

Joe was a brilliant man with many, many talents. His creativity and problem solving abilities surpassed all in all of his 84 years. He was a machinist by trade. If there was not a part to repair something, he would manufacture that part. He was known as Mr. Fixit in Powers-Spalding. When no-one else could repair something, they would take it to Joe because he could fix anything and everything.

Besides having a brilliant mind, he was quite skillful with his hands. Joe designed and built three homes, the last of which he built on the Cedar River with only a chainsaw. Oftentimes, you could find him feeding and talking to the animals on their beautiful property. Many deer were his pets that he fed by hand daily.

Taking advantage of living on water, he diverted a portion of the river and built their own hydroelectric plant in order to generate their own electricity. After completion of their plant, he consulted on plants in Watersmeet, Michigan and Estes Park, Colorado.

After several vacation trips to Alaska with Diane, he used his creativity to carving totem poles. The poles blossomed into a small business, TotemPoles.Info. The poles decorated homes across the United States and the world. One pole was erected on Mackinac Island for a Boy Scout dedication. He commemorated the occasion with wearing his Boy Scout shirt from his youth.

The joy of flying and desire to be a pilot, lead him to taking flying lessons. He then proceeded to build two yellow Piper Cub airplanes by himself. His family enjoyed many flights around the Spalding skies. When he could no longer pilot his own planes, he constructed remote controlled planes. He will be sorely missed by his flying buddies in Gladstone.

In his later years, he shared his extensive knowledge of mechanics with the Robotics Team at North Central High School. He thoroughly enjoyed working and teaching the students preparing the robots for competitions.

Joe was never short on words, including giving his opinion whether you wanted it or not. He always enjoyed telling a joke or two or three.

He is survived by his spouse, Diane and their children: Jodi Nowack Dettman (Bill Bouchard) of Edgewood, N.M., Oscar (Linda) Nowack of Spalding, Mich. and Chris (Anita) Nowack of Florence, Ala. Also, he is survived by 10 grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild; brothers, Jerry and Jeannette Nowack and Jim and Connie Nowack both of Spalding. Also, brothers and sisters in-law.

He was preceded in death by his parents, his son, Jon Paul, brother John Paul, and sisters Jean Weber and Judy Bellefeuil.

Life Lessons

You may have thought we didn’t see,

Or that we hadn’t heard

Life lessons that you taught us

But we got every word.

Perhaps you thought we missed it all,

And that we’d grown apart.

But, Dad, we picked up everything.

It’s written on our hearts.

Without you, Dad, we wouldn’t be

The men and women we are today.

You built a strong foundation

No one can take away.

We have grown up with your values,

And we’re very glad we did.

So, here’s to you dear father/husband,

From your forever grateful family.

(Credit Dakota Ellerton)

In keeping with Joe’s wishes, a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated PRIVATELY for family at St. John Neumann Church in Spalding with Fr. Benny Mathew officiating.

The Allo Coolman Funeral Home is assisting the Nowack family. Please visit www.allofh.com