Fr. Rock John Janowski, of Ventura passed away on May 2, 2019 at a local nursing home.
Born in Kewanee, Wisconsin in 1930 to Edward and Josephine (Milkowski) Janowski, he was a graduate of Bay View High School in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He enjoyed sports and played football in High School. After high school he enlisted into the U.S. Air Force at the age of 20 being stationed at the Panama Canal zone. During his service he took up bowling and was known to be very good. After service to his country Rock then attended St. Lawrence Seminary in Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin. He graduated and was ordained as a Capuchin Priest on November 26, 1964.
He served the community of Detroit Michigan in running their local catholic sponsored soup kitchens feeding the hungry. He later became was the official chaplain for the Detroit Tigers professional baseball team. Fr. Rock became a secular priest in Florida and after his time serving the catholic community in Florida he moved to California.
He served as a Priest all over greater Ventura County (especially Simi Valley, Oxnard, and Ventura) he also spent time serving the Long Beach area. Most recently Fr. Janowski was saying Mass at St. John's Hospital Chapel in Oxnard.
He leaves his sisters, Louise LaLuzerne, Betty (Ron) Jost, and Barbara (William) Lisocki; he also leaves many nieces, nephews, and cousins.
He was predeceased by his parents Edward and Josephine; his sister and her husband Margaret and Joseph Hilber; and a brother and his wife Edward and Helen Janowski, and his brother-in-law Ervin LaLuzerne.
Family and friends are invited to a Memorial Mass of Christian Burial 10:00 am on Friday May 17, 2019 in Our Lady of the Assumption Roman Catholic Church, 3175 Telegraph Road Ventura. In addition, a Memorial mass will be held at 11:00 am on Sunday, May 19, 2019 in the St. John's Regional Medical Center Chapel, 1600 North Rose Ave, Oxnard. Interment will be in Wisconsin. Arrangements are under the direction of the JOSEPH P. REARDON FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICE, Ventura.