Jerome E. Janak was born in Hallettsville, TX, on July 16, 1943, to Emil and Mary Melnar Janak. His Lord and Savior called him home on Sunday, February 22, 2026. He passed peacefully with family by his side and Mary, his wife of 60 years, holding his hand.
Jerome was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Melnar Janak, his father, Emil Janak, and his brother-in-law, Jack Cordes.
Jerome is survived by his wife, Mary Margaret Streetman Janak; daughter Lisa Overby and husband Landon of Cypress; son, Gregory Janak of Houston; sister Anita Cordes of Cuero, brother Patrick Janak and wife Joan of Tomball, and five grandchildren, Alexandra Janak, Dylan Overby, Megan Overby, Ashlyn Overby, and Ming Janak.
Jerome grew up in Hallettsville, Texas, and attended Sacred Heart Catholic School, graduating in 1961. He moved to Victoria in 1962 to work and attend Victoria College. He married the love of his life, Mary Streetman of Schulenburg, Texas, on Thanksgiving Day 1965, and he continued to live in Victoria for a total of 63 years, raising their family in the rural community of Mission Valley.
Jerome worked for Union Carbide/Dow Chemical in Seadrift for 36 years until his retirement in 2002. He was a member of Holy Family Catholic Church, a 4th-degree Knight of the Knights of Columbus Council #9088, and a member of the Serra Club and the Victoria Czech Heritage Society. Jerome was a member of one of the first certification groups of the Victoria Master Gardeners’ Association, and he and his wife continued to serve with the Victoria Master Gardeners for 20 years.
Jerome was a strong, principled, and intelligent man, a problem-solver with a tremendous work ethic, and a lifelong learner who loved nature, people, music, good food, and travel. He was kind, friendly, and big-hearted, and above all, was faithful to his wife, his family, his friends, and his heavenly Father.
Friends are invited to join the family for a visitation on Monday, March 2, 2026, at Holy Family Catholic Church beginning at 10 am. A recitation of the Holy Rosary at 10:30 am will be followed by a special presentation, eulogy, and tributes. Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11:00 am.
Immediately following, all are invited to join the family for a light lunch reception at the adjacent St. Peter's Hall.
The Rite of Committal will follow the reception, at Catholic Cemetery #4, at 2:00 pm
Those honored to serve as pallbearers are son Greg Janak, grandson Dylan Overby, and nephews Darrell Cordes, James Cordes, John Cordes, Marvin Cordes, and Mike Janak. Grandson Ming Janak is an honorary pallbearer.
The family would like to extend heartfelt appreciation to the staff at Morada Victoria, Citizens Medical Center, and Hospice of South Texas Dornburg Center of Compassion, as well as Angel Diaz of the Citizen HealthPlex, and Janice Shiwnath-DeSouza, for caring for, strengthening, and supporting us and our husband and father.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Serra Club, for Catholic vocations, c/o Chris Krejci, P.O. Box 3750, Victoria, TX 77903; Hospice of South Texas Dornburg Center of Compassion, https://hospice-vic.org/donate/; and the Victoria Master Gardeners Association, https://txmg.org/victoria/donate/ or P.O. Box 3822, Victoria, TX 77903.
