William Precek, WWII Veteran From Shadyside Turns 105 on Tuesday
Robert A. DeFrank Trending
The entire community is invited to turn out and celebrate the 105th birthday of World War II veteran William Precek on Tuesday.
Village Councilwoman Melanie Haswell said Precek is one of the village's oldest residents and that the community will celebrate with a parade past his house on West 44th Street.
"It's going to be this Tuesday, which is July 19," Haswell said. "Lineup will be about 5:40 p.m. We're going to start the parade at 6 p.m."
The lineup will be on Central Avenue at the corner of Raze. The fire department and police will escort participants, and all are welcome to join in.
"Anybody can join in with cars or golf carts," Haswell said. "Just come and get in the lineup."
"I never was one to like to drink hard liquor or anything, I never liked to smoke," Precek said. "I had a big garden. There was always stuff we canned."
He served in the U.S. Army from 1941-45, working as a medic and X-ray technician. He served in the 48th Evacuation Hospital Unit as a staff sergeant.
Precek's mind is keen. He remembers detailed accounts of his service, which took him to India and Burma as well as North Africa. He related his experiences with some humor.
"We stopped at Australia, we stopped in New Zealand. You didn't come home like now, where you go for a year and they send you home. When you went in, that's where you stayed 'til they wanted to move you somewhere else," he said. "Every time I'd put in for (a discharge) they moved me, and the orders wouldn't catch up to me. I played hopscotch."
In civilian life, he worked for Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel Corp., then at FirstEnergy's former R.E. Burger power plant. He also did carpentry work and helped to build houses.
These days, Precek is homebound but enjoys greeting neighborhood children when they visit.
His wife, Olive Mae Carle, died in 2016 at age 95. They briefly resided in an assisted living home in West Bellaire, but they moved back to his lifetime home Shadyside.
"I was born here in this town, they might as well just carry me out of it. I wouldn't move," he said.
His parents were Joseph and Harriett Precek, who emigrated from Bohemia, which became part of Czechoslovakia, now the Czech Republic. His brother, Karl, also served in the military and was killed in the war.
He remembers heading out with a lard sandwich wrapped in paper, and often living off the woods as much as the family kitchen.
"I can remember when there was only one or two cars in Shadyside all-told," he said.
"I've seen hard times. When I first got married, my wife and I, we had $95 between us," he said.
"He's an incredible person, I don't think I could have had a better dad," Richard Precek said. "He taught myself and my brother to not get into trouble, to be kind and caring for other people, to help when asked, to do the things that we consider to be Christian-like service. He used to have terrific gardens. He used to have a whole city block as a garden, and he would share his vegetables and everything he grew. ... He taught us to have a good work ethic and to do our part, to be loyal to the United States."
Although Richard now resides in New Mexico, he shares his father's love of his hometown.
"He said, 'Shayside is a great place to live and a great place to raise kids,'" Richard Precek said of his dad. "There's lots of good people here, it's a great community. He's seen a lot of changes over the years, but Shadyside's still a great place."
"There's times I get a little depressed because I was always used to doing everything myself," the elder Precek said.
Richard Precek thanked the many friends and neighbors who have helped to take care of his father.
"It's just a great community to live in," he added.
Anyone with questions about the parade can contact Haswell on Facebook or at 740-391-5015.