Ronald “Snakie” Joseph Lukomski

Ronald J. “Snakie” Lukomski, age 59, of Munster, Indiana, passed away 29th of October at home. Survivors: wife Suzanne (Pasztor) for 29 loving years and two sons, Ronald Jr. and David Lukomski. Late Father and Mother, Raymond “East Chicago’s Hot Dog Boomba” and Angela (Wilkowski) of Bayonne, New Jersey. Visitation will be on Tuesday, November 1, 2011 from 2:00-9:00 PM with a prayer service at 3:30 PM at Kish Funeral Home, 10000 Calumet Ave. Munster, IN and on Wednesday from 9:30-10:00 AM at the church. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Wednesday, November 2, 2011 at 10:00 AM at St. Thomas More Church, Munster, IN with Fr. Michael Yadron officiating. Interment will be at St. Joseph-St. John Cemetery, Hammond, IN. Ron was a resident of Munster for 29 years. He grew up and spent 30 years as a resident in East Chicago, Indiana. He graduated from East Chicago Roosevelt High School, Class of 1971. Ron was very active in the Art and Mechanical Drafting Departments in high school. He designed the school’s band uniform and athletic and drama club newspaper layouts. Ron was inspired by three teachers. Ms. Marsh saw the artist experience and encouraged him to attend the Chicago Art Institute or Ball State University. Mr. John Dobak wanted Ron to attend his old college, Indiana State University for an Engineering Degree because of his mechanical background and problem-solving skills. He attended and graduated Purdue University Calumet while holding two jobs to support his mother and younger sister after his father’s death. He majored in Mechanical Engineering Technology, Supervision, and Mechanical Design. He also graduated from Harper College Computer-Aided Design program. His biggest supporter was his Mother, Angela, who never finished 6th grade. She was from a family of nine and had to baby sit her younger brother and sisters. She always said that with an education the doors of opportunities would open up and you would always have a job. During his 1976 semester, he entered Purdue’s Calumet Art Show which was judged by Professor Ligocki of University of Illinois Fine Arts Department. Ron won Chancellor’s Favorite for “Bewitched” in water color, First Place and Honorable Mention in Architectural Rendering “Modern Estate” and “Independence Hall” in pencil and pen & ink, Second Place in Acrylic “Soft Touch” life study, Third Place in Mixed Media “Polish-American 1776 – 1976,” and S.A.B. Favorite “Barbara” in water color. Ron donated one of his Honorable Mentions, a pen and ink drawing, to the Purdue’s Construction Technology Department and also donated the water color painting of the U.S. Post Office on Chicago and Kennedy Avenue, where his father worked. All the rest of his paintings were destroyed by the flood of 2008 in Munster. His summer jobs were with the City of East Chicago in the Planning and Redevelopment Departments under the supervision of Dr. Howard Campbell and the late Victor Torres. Ron was always involved with City government. He designed the bus route handouts, the Guadalupe Circle architectural subdivision drawings working with late City Engineer Andy Ferdendez and Components Pre-Fab Housing Manufacturing Company of East Chicago. After graduating and while working full time, Ron was employed as a part-time evening Engineering instructor at Purdue University Calumet under the supervision of Dr. Pierson and the late Professor Phil Perkins. Ron also worked under the late Professor Kerns at Indiana Vocational Technical College Gary and Valpo Campus from 1988-1993. He always wanted to give his experience and knowledge back to his students as well to his community. Since Ron grew up in the City of East Chicago, he was elected as an Advisory Board member for East Chicago’s Department of Redevelopment and Dela Garza center. He was a past member and officer of the East Chicago and Lake County Young Democrats. In 1980, Ron was a candidate for East Chicago’s First Precinct, Second District Precinct Committeeman position. After losing the election by 13 votes, Ron married his loving East Chicago girlfriend, Suzanne Pasztor by their late priest, Father Ambre of St. Mary’s Church of East Chicago. They moved to Munster, Indiana, to start a family. They met and fell in love at Ron’s 4th of July party when she was brought to the party by her brother Rich Pasztor. She supported Ron 110% throughout his lifetime. While his children were growing up, he volunteered his time like many other parents for the Little League, Cub Scouts, and Boy Scouts, as well as supporting his boys through their lifetimes. From 1977 to 1984, Ron was an engineering employee of U.S.Steel Gary Works Central Mills, as well as a member and Financial Secretary and Food Drive Director for 3,000 clerical membership employees of the United Steel Workers of America Local 3008. His U.S. Steel Supervisor and Republican Precinct Committeeman Ralph Gonzales encouraged Ron to pursue his city government activities. With the downsizing of the local steel mills and changing business philosophy, Ron was employed at Graver Tank, Unarco, Verson Allsteel Press, American Steel Foundries as the Plant Engineer, Raytheon/Bethlehem Steel Burns Harbor Steel Producing Department as a Project Engineer, Cardwell Westinghouse as a Project Engineer, and Grier Abrasive as the Quality Control Director. As the Plant Engineer for American Steel Foundries, he worked with Ms. Mary Kaczka, Director of Business Development, to have Canal Street repaved with the pot holes removed from the street for our 400 employees to drive safely to work. Ron was also the Fire Captain at American Steel Foundries. He worked with Mr. James O’Donnell, Training Director of the East Chicago Fire Department, for annual plant fire training. As Project Engineer for Cardwell Westinghouse and American Steel Foundries, Ron traveled to England and Scotland to oversee railroad equipment approval and testing. He also traveled for Bethlehem Steel Burns Harbor and was assigned to steel-producing and environmental projects. Ron finally retired from Holland Company of Crete, Illinois, as a Project Manager for railroad welding equipment. One of his projects involved the rebuilding of the Iraqi infrastructure overseeing the building of mobile welder and puller trucks for a valued of $5.25 million dollars. He was a member of the Purdue Alumi, American Society of Engineers, the American Iron and Steel Society, the American Foundryman Society, the Society of Professional Engineers, American Society of Quality, Illiana Chapter. Ron was involved with Sons of the American Legion Post 369 as the Financial Secretary, Adjunct, Sargent of Arms, and Chaplin. Ron was very much involved with signing up a few hundred World War II veterans for Washington D.C.’s World War II Memorial as well as the Rosie the Riveter Memorial in Richmond, California. Ron did not want the younger generation to forget the work of their family heroes during World War II: “May their sacrifices always be recorded in History.” Ron has organized the retirement parties for his fellow American Steel Foundries retirees. He loved watching the Army-Navy football games. The game would bring back memories of his 3rd and 4th grade classes playing football with his favorite teacher, Mr. Platis of McKinley School. Mr. Platis gave Ron his nickname “Snakie” which lasted his lifetime. Please support the Mayo Clinic Cancer Research, St. Catherine’s Hospital of East Chicago for their wonderful staff, Salvation Army for the poor and unemployed, as well as the USO for our service boys. Ron enjoyed fishing, drawing, painting and World War II history. He was a member of St. Thomas More Church. Ron will be sadly missed by his family and friends.