December 23, 1948 – April 7, 2020
John W. Cernak, 71, passed away on April 7, 2020 at his home.
Born December 23, 1948 in South Bend, he was the son of the late Walter Henry and Helen Martha (Mlynarek) Cernak.
Left to cherish his memory are his two sons: Nicholas (Cara) of San Rafael, CA and Jonathan (Virginia) of Chicago, IL; and three beloved grandchildren: Ava, Arthur, and Violette; sister, Marilyn Daignault; brothers, Wally (Jennifer), Ken (LuAnn), and Jim, and numerous nieces and nephews.
He is preceded in death by his parents and his brother, Dave.
John was a loving and devoted father. A 1967 graduate of Saint Joseph’s High School in South Bend, John received his undergraduate degree in Fine Arts from Indiana University, and Masters degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. In 1985, he studied photography in Paris, France through the Parsons School Summer Program.
A professional designer, John operated his own design firm, worked in publishing, and was a packaging design manager in the global sourcing department for a Fortune 500 home improvement retailer. He was also an adjunct instructor of graphic design at IUSB and Goshen College and lectured at the University of Notre Dame and the University of Georgia. An accomplished painter and photographer, John’s artwork resides in private collections and once appeared on an independent rock band’s album.
Due to the pandemic, no services are being held at this time.
To send condolences to the family, please visit www.McGannHay.com.
Condolences can also be memorialized on John’s Facebook profile at: www.facebook.com/john.cernak.75
