Julius Smereck Jr.

Julius “Jay” Smereck Jr., 75, of Great Falls, passed away Tuesday, September 18, 2018. Viewing will be Monday, September 24, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Hillcrest Lawn Memorial Chapel. A memorial service will be Tuesday, September 25, 2018 at 2:00 p.m. also at Hillcrest with entombment following the service. Schnider Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Jay was born and raised in a devout Catholic family and enjoyed being an altar boy. The family lived in the little coal mine town of Barton, Ohio where Jay, as a young boy, delivered newspapers along with his little brother, Jim, and loving his baby sister, Terry. He had a love of baseball from a very young age that stayed with him until his sad passing. On his 18th birthday, in February of 1961 he entered the US Air Force and served his country proudly for 27 years, 4 months, and 24 days. He retired on July 1, 1988. After his retirement, he ventured to another endeavor working for First Investors as a division manager where Jay and his family made their home, Wheeling, West Virginia. Being the man who saw the world, so to speak, LOL, Jay decided to move to Montana and make Great Falls his home with his newspaper buddy, his bro Jim and family, embracing and becoming very close to his nephew and confidant, Paul Schuster. Making new friends, Jay was liking Great Falls, its casinos, fine food, his sister-in-law’s potato salad and golfing with BRO Jim in Fort Benton. He also enjoyed the World Series games, sipping on Crown at the City Bar, and loving his little kiddos, nieces Tia and Cassidy, and nephew Hunter who called him Unkle Baboo. He loved giving his yearly birthday gifts to his nieces and nephew, dollar bills and Reese Peanut Butter Cups. He was preceded in death by his parents, Julius and Mary Smereck and brother-in-law Drage Flick. Jay is survived by Mary Virginia (PC) Smereck; daughter Madonna Smereck; sons Dakota and Nikolai Smereck all of Wheeling, WV; Julius L. and Douglas Smereck both of Oklahoma City, OK; sister Theresa “Terry” M. Flick; brother James L. (Vera) Smereck of Great Falls; special helping relatives, Paul, Kris, and Tia Schuster; 6 grandchildren; 8 great-grandchildren; and numerous nephews and nieces. Jay was a loving gift giver to all he met with some kind of special little gift of some sort and he was a member of the Knights of Columbus ( as a Silent Knight). We will all miss you Jay. In his own words, “It is what it is.” Donations can be made to donors choice in Jay’s name. Condolences for the family may be posted online at www.SchniderFuneralHome.com.