~PRIVATE: John J Kuczek, ex-owner of Cle Thunderbolts, faces trial in fraud casePlain Dealer 02 Nov, 1993, pg. 01 sec. E

~PRIVATE: BOLTS" EX-OWNER FACES TRIAL ACCUSED IN FRAUD CASE
The Plain Dealer; Cleveland, Ohio; Nov 2, 1993; DENNIS MANOLOFF PLAIN DEALER REPORTER; Page: 1E

~PRIVATE: John J. Kuczek, former owner of the Cleveland Thunderbolts of the Arena Football League, is scheduled to go on trial Monday in Miami in a fraud case.

~PRIVATE: Kuczek was charged in two counts of a 28-count federal indictment against Harold Sahlen Jr. and five others. In the principal count that included Kuczek, the charges were bank fraud, mail fraud and securities fraud.

~PRIVATE: The defendants allegedly bilked thousands of public shareholders in the defunct firm Sahlen & Associates of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., according to the indictment.

~PRIVATE: The firm provided private investigative and security guard services. It collapsed in 1989 after its directors announced that it was under investigation by the Securities and Exchange Commission for allegedly fraudulant accounting practices. According to the indictments, the company created $45 million in phony revenues to entice investors.

~PRIVATE: Kuczek, president of Kuczek & Associates Inc., an insurance brokerage firm in Boardman, declined comment through his office.

~PRIVATE: Kuczek bought the Thunderbolts after the 1991 season and moved them from Columbus. Within the past year, Kuczek transferred his majority share of the Thunderbolts into an irrevocable trust for his grandchildren, said Michael T. Rossi, president of T-Bolts Acquisition Inc., which now owns the team. Kuczek's son, Jeff, is the general manager.

~PRIVATE: Rossi issued a statement:

~PRIVATE: "Earlier this year, Mr. Kuczek divested himself of all stock of the corporation which owns and operates the Cleveland Thunderbolts. As a result, he no longer owns any stock, nor is he an officer or member of the team's board of directors. Despite the fact that Mr. Kuczek denies all wrongdoing ... given the pending charges, it was agreed that it would be in the best interests of the Thunderbolts for him to give up his ownership and management interests.

~PRIVATE: "Mr. Kuczek has been identified in only one of the substantive counts, and he has categorically denied any wrongdoing. Kuczek has pleaded not guilty and expects to be acquitted at trial."
============

~PRIVATE: John J Kuczek, 51, Boardman, former owner of the Cleveland Thunderbolts, found dead in the Timberlanes Inn of Salem; coroner to rule on cause of deathPlain Dealer 06 Feb, 1995, pg. 1 sec. D

~PRIVATE: Death of John J Kuczek, former owner of the Thunderbolts, appears to be a suicide, Columbiana Cty coroner saysPlain Dealer 07 Feb, 1995, pg. 3 sec. D
HISTORY: DEATH OF KUCZEK `APPEARS' A SUICIDE
The Plain Dealer; Cleveland, OH; Feb 7, 1995; OLIVERA PERKINS PLAIN DEALER REPORTER; Page: 3D

~PRIVATE: The death of John J. Kuczek, former owner of the Thunderbolts, appears to be a suicide, a county coroner said yesterday.

~PRIVATE: "There was no evidence of foul play," Columbiana County Coroner William A. Graham said. "It appears to be a suicide."

~PRIVATE: Kuczek, 51, once owned the Thunderbolts, an Arena Football League team. He lived in the Youngstown suburb of Boardman Township.

~PRIVATE: No marks indicating a cause of death were found on the body, Graham said. He said he would not rule on what killed Kuczek until he receives toxicology test results later this week. Graham also said he would try to determine whether Kuczek could have died of a heart attack.

~PRIVATE: Kuczek was found dead Saturday in the Timberlanes Inn of Salem. Graham said his examination showed Kuczek died about 8 p.m. Wednesday. Graham said he had not performed a formal autopsy as of yesterday afternoon.

~PRIVATE: Salem Police Sgt. Patrick Mango said yesterday no suicide note had been found. He said police had ruled out robbery and other forms of foul play because there appeared to have been no signs of struggle.

~PRIVATE: Originally from Cleveland, Kuczek graduated in 1961 from St. John Cantius High School in the city and attended classes at John Carroll University. He went on to found R & R Builders and the Luxor Managment Co. He was married in February 1965.

~PRIVATE: He is survived by his wife, Patricia J.; one son, Jeffrey J., of Cleveland; one daughter, Laura K. Rossi of Boardman Township; two brothers, Stanley of Aurora and Ted of Cleveland; three sisters, Ceil Sobczyk of Cleveland, Josephine Pajak of Strongsville, and Genevieve Czarnecki of Brook Park; and five grandchildren.

~PRIVATE: Material tributes may be made to J.J. Kuczek Foundation, in care of Second National Bank, 7098 Lockwood Blvd., Boardman Township, Ohio 44521.

~PRIVATE: A memorial service is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. Thursday in St. Dominic Church, 77 E. Lucius Ave., Youngstown. There will be no calling hours. Arrangements are being made by the Fox Funeral Home.

OBIT: KUCZEK, JOHN J: Son of Walter-Obit Plain Dealer 08 Feb, 1995, pg. 8 sec. B

1. Jeffrey J. KUCZEK
2. Laura K. KUCZEK

Worked as the janitor at St. Barbara Church

RESIDENCES:
1931 - 3732 W.13th St., Cleveland, Ohio

I can't unravel the relationship between Sophia and the Pavlik's. She lists Joseph as her brother, but her mother (Audrey aka Aurelia) was listed as having been married to a John Lakusz (actually WAKUS) and I can find no marriage for Audrey/Aurelia and Peter Pavlik. Therefore, I am listing her as being the guardian (not legally as far as I know) of the Pavlik's until such time as some link can be found between her mother and Peter. In retrospect, this guardianship makes no sense since Sophia's mother died 15 years AFTER Sophia died.

MARRIAGE: LAKUSZ, SOPHIA and KUCZEK, WALDYSLAW 0144 0225

OBIT:
Name: Kuczek, Sophie
Date: Dec 20 1957
Source: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #127.
Notes: Kuczek, Sophie, residence, 3732 W. 13 St., beloved wife of Walter, dear mother of Cecelia Sobczyk, Stanley, Josephine Pajak, Genevieve Czarnecki, Theodore and John, daughter of Audrey Lakusz, sister of Joseph Pavlik, and grandmother. Funeral services Saturday, Dec. 21, at 9 a. m. from St. Barbara Church. Friends may call at the A. J. Tomon & Sons Brooklyn Funeral Home, 4772 Pearl Rd.

RESIDENCES:
1957 - 3732 W.13th St., Cleveland, Ohio

1. Cecilia S. KUCZEK
2. Stanley Walter KUCZEK
3. Josephine C. KUCZEK
4. Genevieve A. KUCZEK b. 21 Oct 1932, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio; d. 15 Sep 1997.
5. Theodore S. KUCZEK b. 21 Oct 1932, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio; d. Sep 2006, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.
6. 1. John Joseph KUCZEK b. 20 Jun 1943, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio; d. 1 Feb 1995, Salem, Columbiana, Ohio.

1. Stanley (Stanislaws) KUCZEK b. Apr 1893, Grodno,, Galicia; d. 12 Jul 1952, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.
2. Joseph F. KUCZEK b. 23 Aug 1893, Grodno, Gurna, Galicia; d. 3 Sep 1966, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.
3. Wojciech KUCZEK b. ,, Poland; d. ,, Poland.
4. 2. Walter (Wladyslaw) Stanley KUCZEK b. 18 Oct 1900; d. Dec 1977, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.

Property transfer after his death listed his name as John Lakusz ow John Wakus.

OBIT: Name: Wakus, John
Date: Apr 20 1955
Source: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #164.
Notes: Wakus, John, residence, 3725 W. 13th St., beloved wife of Aurelia, father of Sophie Kuczek, grandfather of 6, and great-grandfather of 9. Funeral services Thursday, Apr. 21, at 9 a. m. from St. Barbara's Church. Friends may call at the A. J. Tomon & Sons Brooklyn Funeral Home, 4772 Pearl Rd.

RESIDENCES: 1955 - 3725 W.13th St., Cleveland, Ohio

OBIT: Name: Lakusz, Aurella (Wakus)
Date: Feb 9 1972
Source: Cleveland Press; Cleveland Necrology File, Reel #128.
Notes: Lakusz. Aureija Lakusz (Wakus), beloved wife of the late John, dear mother of the late Sophie Kuczek, grandmother of Cecila Sobczyk, Stanley Kuczek, Josephine Palak, Theodore Kuczek, Genevieve Czarnecki and John Kuczek. Funeral services Thursday, Feb. 10 at 9 A.M. at St. Barbaras Church. Interment Holy Cross Cemetery. Friends may call at The A. J. Tomon and Sons Funeral Home, 4772 Pearl Rd., Wednesday 2-5 And 7-9 P.M.

1. 3. Sophia LAKUSZ, (or Wakus) b. 1910; d. 19 Dec 1957, Cleveland, Cuyahoga, Ohio.