Born in Cedar Rapids, Iowa to John and Gladys Cabalka, he is preceded
in death by his parents and his brother Jim. He is survived by Cynthia, his spouse and beloved companion of fifty-three years. They reside in Ventura, California. John is survived as well by his son Shawn of Arroyo Grande, CA., his daughter Michelle and her husband Marty Moe of San Jose, CA., grandchildren Justin, Annalisa, and Joshua Cabalka, and Kristen and Mikayla Moe.
John Cabalka's life was devoted to family, his many friends, and his love of the arts. As a young student he was awarded scholarships in both art and music. At sixteen he won a competition for his drumming which enabled him to study in New York with jazz legends Cozy Cole and Gene Krupa. Later he managed the rock band Lynn County, He worked for a time as a graphic designer in Chicago for Mercury Records. Eventually he became an art director for the seminal Los Angeles creative group, Klein, Barzman, Hecht. In time he became the art director for Warner Brothers Records and subsequently for Motown
Reoords, where he was able to combine his love of art and music. He created quite a number of record jacket covers, many considered classics of the genre, for Stevie Wonder, Keith Jarrett, Leonard Cohen, Frank Zappa, Rod Stewart, and Van Morrison among others. In later years he shared wisdom accumulated during his incredibly productive career with students at the Kansas City Art Institute and Loyola Marymount University. Throughout his life, he was much devoted to his pets and his fondest memories were of fly fishing as a youth in the streams and rivers of Iowa and Minnesota.
A memorial service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 19, 2013 in the chapel at Charles Carroll Funeral Home. Considering the hardship that has been placed on John's family, we humbly ask that in lieu of flowers, any contributions to help cover funeral expenses would be greatly appreciated.
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