Bravery, compassion, humor

Celebrating his 97th birthday, former SC resident Paul Soucheck delves into life, marriage, military service, with humor and grace, just as he’s led his life. (Photos provided)

Avid readers of the Sun Day may very well be aware of former Sun City resident, Paul Souchek, whose colorful life has filled the Sun Day’s pages with tales of his time in 36th Infantry Division of the Army during WWII to his active involvement in various Sun City organizations such as the Scandinavian Club and other activities alongside his wife, Joan. Although today Souchek spends his days entertaining nurses and other staff with his humorous stories at the Alden of Huntley Senior Living facility, Souchek’s daughter, Linda Cook, explains that despite battling some medical setbacks, “[it] doesn’t slow him down.”

Sadly, Souchek’s wife passed away August 21 of this year after 73 years of marriage, but as Souchek recounts, was able to have one last touching moment with his beloved partner.

“I had a lot of patience with Joanie. She told me not to go far and so I held her hand until she passed away. She hugged me really tight and gave me one last kiss,” he said as Cook explained how her mother had woken up from her medically induced coma for that very moment.

“Joan was a wonderful mother and a wonderful wife to me. She organized a lot of events and worked for the hospital, Alexian Brothers. She was a well-known person and won many awards for swimming,” Souchek stated, passionately describing the many accomplishments of his wife.

In addition to patience as a key trait to his long-lasting relationship, Souchek went on to share his other secret to a happy marriage demonstrating his keen sense of humor, “Keep your mouth shut. That’s it, just keep your mouth shut.”

Paul and Joan Soucheck celebrating an anniversary. The Souchecks were married 73 years before Joan’s passing in August of this year.

As far as military life, it wasn’t easy for the now 97-year-old veteran, as he remembered his many close encounters with Nazi soldiers. However, one of his stand out moments was a time where he and his fellow soldiers narrowly escaped friendly fire from other American soldiers.

“We were saved from being shot by speaking out loud. The other soldiers thought we were Nazis, but then they heard us speaking English,” Souchek said.

Cook, who grew up in Itasca, explains how her father was always supportive in her and her siblings’ extracurricular activities and was never the type to be seen yelling.

“He’s very loving and very gracious when we would make mistakes. He would give wise advice and he wouldn’t shove it down your throat. We’ve always appreciated his wisdom and humor,” Cook said. “When he lived in Sun City, he would go to Papa G’s and would sit there and would talk with all the guys. He was very approachable and social. He’s the kind of guy that when we were at Disney World with the grandchildren, he would have people all around him, listening to his stories.”

After spending two years, nine months, and six days on active duty on tours to Africa, Italy, France, and Germany, Souchek returned home, making a career working various jobs. One being a laborer’s foreman working on three 21-to-34-story high buildings in Chicago and another utilizing his mechanical skills to fix television sets.

“He was a very hard worker. He used to fix those old tube TVs when I was a kid. He would go to homes and fix them. There was this funny story where a couple called my dad to fix their TV and when he looked it over, he told them there was nothing wrong with it. It turns out, the couple called him over because they wanted to hear more of his stories,” Cook said.

Cook explains that Souchek’s goal is to live until he’s 102. “We’re not sure where he got that number from, but he wants to live longer than his mother who died at 97. He has congestive heart failure and the beginning stages of dementia, but that doesn’t stop him from pushing himself around in his wheelchair and keeping himself busy by drawing pictures for any nurse that asks for one,” she said.

Souchek can be found making up to six drawings a month ensuring that each one tells a story about the person he is drawing it for, demonstrating his kind and creative nature despite any hardships that may come his way.

Editor’s note: I’m happy to say that I’ve had the honor (and I DO mean the HONOR) of meeting both Paul and Joan Soucheck in person. I sat down with the couple several years ago at their home in SC for a story the Sun Day ran on Paul. They welcomed me into their home as if I were family. They were warm and kind and gracious and humble. And in the short time I spent with them, you could tell how dedicated they were to each other and their family. Paul is probably among the funniest people I’ve met in my life and Joan, hands down, made the best coffee cake you’ve ever had. Here’s to you Paul and Joan!

– Chris La Pelusa, Sun Day

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