James J. Novak

James J. Novak age 93 of Amarillo, entered the gates of Heaven on December 31, 2022.

A Rosary service will be held on Thursday, January 5, 2023 at 6:00 PM at Schooler Funeral Home, Brentwood Chapel.  The memorial mass will be held on Friday, January 6, 2023, at 1:00 PM at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church.    The celebrant will be Rev. Nicholas Gerber.  Inurnment will follow at Llano Cemetery. Military Honors will be provided by the Volleys for Veterans.

A child of Czechoslovakian immigrants, Vojtech and Maria Kuncar Novak, James was born in Wallis, Texas on August 28, 1929.  He graduated from High school in 1949 and entered the US Army where he served in the Korean War from 1950 until 1952 stationed in Germany.   He met and married the love of his life, O. Maurice Perry on April 18, 1953 in East Bernard, Texas. 

James would work for Southwestern Bell and later AT&T in a career that would span thirty nine years as a telephone repeater man.  He was a founding member of Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church and was a Knight of Columbus and a member of the K.J. T Catholic Fraternal Organization.  He also was a member of the V.F.W.

James enjoyed gardening, if you named it he could grow it, from tomatoes to lettuce, he could harvest everything needed for a delectable feast. He also loved to BBQ and cook some mighty good ribs and chicken.   James had an affinity for birds, especially cardinals, and he ensured the birds in his neighborhood had an abundance of food.

He was a faithful man who was completely devoted to his family. He cherished times spent with his children, from teaching them to fish and play poker, to tenderly brushing his daughter’s hair out after a bath.  He was a tender, caring man and although he was small in stature he was strong in words and actions.

He was preceded in death by his parents, 2 daughters, Kimberly & Patricia, 2 brothers and 1 sister.  Frank, Norbert, and Marie.

James was survived by his wife Maurice; two daughters, Sheila Novak of Amarillo and Susan Ford of San Antonio; one son, James Daniel “Danny” Novak and wife Melanie of Amarillo; one sister Georgia Cooper of Houston; sister-in-law, Grace Novak of Dickinson; five grandchildren, Kimberly Saunders, Jessica Martinez, Tyler Novak, Krystal Uribe and Blake Ford; four great-grandchildren, Miles and Palmer Saunders, Bryleigh Manis and Harper Uribe.