Obituary of Joseph Francis Panik

PANIK, Joseph Sr. – Joseph passed away at Bluewater Health, C.E.E. Site, Petrolia on Wednesday, June 3, 2020 at the age of 81. Beloved husband of the late Irene Panik (Mondoux) and the late Jean Robertson. Bestie of Helen Strachan. Dear father of Jill Galloway (Jeff), Joe Panik Jr. (Tara), Janice Brown (Andrew) and Judi Panik-Joseph (late Carlos). Loving brother of Valerie Verberg (late Hank). Brother-in-law of Tim Mondoux (Barb) and Pete Mondoux (Mary Ann). Loving grandfather of Jace Galloway (Julia Gilroy), Jenna Galloway, Sierra Joseph (Reid Gertridge), Jessica Irene Brown and Abby Panik and several nieces and nephews. Predeceased by parents Francis & Simon Panik, sons Jeff and Jamie Panik, grandson Jonah Panik and sister Mary Burgos (late John). Born in Enniskillen township near Oil Springs on August 4^th 1938 a year after his parents immigrated from Czechoslovakia. Joe retired from Dow Chemical after working 37 years in the chemical valley. Inducted in the Sarnia Lambton Sports Hall of Fame in 2017, Joe was a proud member of the Sarnia Braves organization for over 60 years as a player, coach, umpire, organizer, convener and fundraiser. He dedicated his life towards promoting the game of baseball at the grassroots level in Sarnia and his impression has been left with multiple generations of baseball players in the area. Joe’s story in baseball will be included in the obituary online at www.mckenzieblundy.com where messages of condolences and memories can also be left. Thank you for the exemplary care provided by the staff and nurses at the Continuing Care unit at the Bluewater Heath C.E.E site in Petrolia. Due to the restrictions of Covid19, a private family graveside service will be held at Our Lady of Mercy Cemetery. Arrangements entrusted to the McKENZIE & BLUNDY FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION CENTRE, 431 Christina St. N., Sarnia 519-344-3131. As an expression of sympathy, friends who wish may send memorial donations directly to the Sarnia Braves, ATTN: John Vasey, 55-76 Olympus Court, Sarnia, ON., N7S 4S7. A celebration of life will be scheduled in the future once restrictions have been lifted.

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Joe Panik – A Brave for Life

By John Vasey

Joe was born in Oil Springs on August 4, 1938. The family moved to Sarnia when Joe was ten. At age sixteen he signed with the Sarnia Midget baseball team. He played baseball for the Midgets, Juvenile and Senior Braves. He played as a call-up with the 1959 Sarnia Braves that won the city’s first Ontario Senior A championship. He was a player with the 1961 Braves senior team that were OBA Senior A championship finalists. In 1965 he took time out to raise his growing family.

By 1970, Joe became an SMAA volunteer. He eventually became SMAA baseball chairman. During his tenure he enhanced registration in baseball, especially at the T-ball and novice levels, and reorganized the travel program.

In 1972 he began umpiring, which he did for 44 years.

Joe revived the junior and senior levels of baseball in Sarnia in the late 1970’s, reintroduced the Sarnia Braves senior baseball and started the Sarnia Sun Devils. At times there has been up to fifty former Sarnia graduates playing on Western Counties Senior baseball teams. He convened several senior tournaments over the years and garnered many accolades and awards including several from the Sarnia Lambton Chamber of Commerce for promoting baseball and tourism in the Sarnia area.

Joe was a major fundraiser for baseball in Sarnia over the years. These funds provided the city with hundreds of thousands of dollars for improvements at Errol Russell and Blackwell parks.

In 1994, along with Stan Slack, the Sarnia Braves Minor Baseball program was started. Joe was named president, a position he would hold for twenty-five years. The Sarnia Braves Minor Baseball Association and their fundraising supports ten minor teams with a budget over $100,000. Since 1994 the minor Braves have won eleven OBA championships at the A, AA, AAA level as well as finalists ten times. In 2019 the Senior Braves won the Ontario championship for only the third time. Of the twenty-eight players and coaches, twenty-four had played with the minor Braves.

In 2017 Joe was inducted into the Sarnia-Lambton Sports Hall of Fame. Until 2019 Joe was still running meat raffles and bingos for the Braves.

Through 60 years in baseball Joe was a player, coach, manager, executive, tournament director, fundraiser and umpire.