Werner Sonny Albert Valyko

Age 67 of Munson Twp. Husband of Donna (Tocimak) Valyko of Munson Twp. Mr. Valyko died March 24, 2008, at his home following a valiant battle against esophageal cancer.Born May 4, 1940, in Cleveland, he had lived in Mentor before moving to Chardon in 1976.He served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Mr. Valyko was a 1958 graduate of St. Joseph’s High School in Cleveland and was a 1992 graduate of Hiram College. He was an active member of The Church of St. Mary, where he also was an eighth grade PSR teacher for 35 years, served on the Parish Council for six years, and was a Eucharistic minister. Mr. Valyko was a volunteer worker for Big Brothers/Big Sisters and the Feed My People Organization. He was a little league and softball coach and was in the Eaton Rev’d Up Volunteer Group. He spent a lot of time babysitting his 15 grandchildren. He was an avid golfer and worked at St. Dennis Golf Course, catering after retirement and at Pioneer Waterland in the summers for 15 years. He will be remembered as an extraordinary father and grandfather who never tired of playing games with kids and watching full-length feature cartoon movies.Mr. Valyko worked as a computer systems analyst at Eaton Corporation for 33 years, retiring Nov. 15, 2001.Survivors are his wife, Donna (Tocimak) Valyko, whom he married Oct. 1, 1966, in Phillipsburg, Pa.; son, Brian (Kelly) Valyko of Ashtabula; daughters, Lori (J.R.) Weber of Chardon, Lisa (Diehl) Belza of Columbus, and Kelly (Richard) Galinac of Chardon; mother, Frida (nee Hieber) Valyko of Concord Township; brother, Ronald (Maureen) Valyko of Mentor; grandchildren, Gabrielle, Barrett, Maya, Kira, Chase, Justin, Derek, Faith, Grace, Taylor, Derek, Brooke, Dorian, Betty, and Greta; and niece and nephew, Carla and Eric Valyko of Mentor.He was preceded in death by his father, Gunther E. Jack Valyko.