John Francis Smolen

John Francis Smolen

August 4, 1946 – February 8, 2025

John F. Smolen left us on Saturday, February 8, 2025, a man committed to his faith, to his wife, family and his Polish heritage, to his friends and mentors, to his career, and foundationally to a generous life, lived with integrity.  John valued the truth – giving it and receiving it.  John was the consummate professional, devoted to his vocation and his charitable avocations.  John was a man of service and devotion, taking the gifts of his mentors and returning them many times over to his many and deep friendships.  He impacted many, and many more will miss him deeply and the profoundly positive impacts he made in this world.

John was born in Omaha, Nebraska. to John Andrew and Salomea Regina Veronica (“Sally V”) Smolen in 1946.  He valued his “South Omaha Boy” roots to the very end.  He was an accomplished and unabashed accordion virtuoso, a skill he kept current his entire life and one he shared with his family and friends whenever the opportunity arose.  He had the quintessential 1950s upbringing – dogs he named “Spot,” pickup baseball, extensive involvement in his parish, his Polish extended family gatherings with overwhelming amounts of food, butch haircuts, and being in just enough trouble with his Catholic grade school’s nuns to make life interesting.

John attended St. Mary’s Catholic grade school in South Omaha, and then Creighton Prep, where he was class president and an outstanding (All-American) football player under the famous Coach Don Leahy, winning the Nebraska state championship twice.  He was recruited to play linebacker on the Colorado State University football team, leaving to join the United States Marine Corp in 1966. He served honorably with the 1^st Marine Division as a Force Reconnaissance scout, including time with his fellow Marines in Vietnam.  He was extremely proud of his status as a Marine, and frequently ensured all knew that one is never an “ex-Marine”; once a Marine, always a Marine.

After returning to the United States, he completed his college education in Omaha, earning a B.S. in Business Administration from Creighton University, and thereafter receiving a Master’s Degree in Health Care Administration from St. Louis University.  He was a life-long devotee to Catholic education as a result of the life-long Catholic – and largely Jesuit – education he received.  He left us with deep devotion to the Jesuit order and the “men for others” lives that they lead.

After a residency at St. Mary’s Hospital in Tucson, Arizona, he began his professional career at Santa Rosa Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.  His career led him to positions in Sioux City, Iowa (Marian Health Center), Kansas City, Missouri (St. Joseph Health Center), a physician’s group in his hometown of Omaha, Nebraska, ending his career and retiring as Chief Executive Officer of Western Missouri Medical Center in Warrensburg, Missouri, devoting over forty years to health care administration, much of it prominently and deliberately Catholic healthcare.

John met the love of his life, Paula Marmion “Molly” Smolen in 1966 in Omaha, on a blind date thirty days after his enlistment and prior to his call into the Marine Corps.  John and Paula were married on June 5, 1970, at St. Cecilia’s Cathedral in Omaha, starting their 55-year married life together.

John and Paula welcomed four children, John Paul (and Jennifer (Dinkins)), Joe (and Juli (Fisher)), Jessica “Kate” (and Justin Burtnett), and Jim (and Michelle (Stevens).  John and Paula have nine outstanding grandchildren, who he (and they) dearly loved.  Albeit too rare, every time the family grew and gathered, there was a toast, a prayer, and a raucous, joyful gathering.

John and Paula also enjoyed the gift of long and deep friendships from every town and every phase of their life together, joining Anawim in Texas, the family mass movement and spirituality groups at Cure of Ars in Mission, Kansas, and ultimately with the Ignatian Volunteer Corps in Denver, Colorado.  Through IVC, John increased his devotion and call to service to the poor and the unhoused, as well as recent war veterans. Beyond mere financial assistance, he engaged with them as fellow humans, walking the streets with them, meeting their needs, and serving them in a soup kitchen.

John, with Paula, was involved in several communities, from their children’s and grandchildren’s sports, activities, clubs, and schools, to the many other formal and informal groups, enriching one another’s and others’ lives. He was active in his children’s outdoor clubs/affiliations, rising to leadership positions in Boy Scouts. He hiked Philmont three times, twice with his sons.

John was an avid camper and outdoorsman, particularly in the mountains of his beloved Colorado.  He was never tired of a view of the Front Range.  He was a devotee to the wilderness of Rocky Mountain National Park.  John and Paula spent much of their retirement with their long time companion vizsla, Bela, in a camper as much and as often as they could.  John also greatly enjoyed a fine meal and marked his travels and occasions with a good dinner and a toast to his fellow Marines and his family.  Despite John’s love of golf, he never broke 100 (something that did not bother him in the least).

John loved the “outlaw” country music of Jerry Jeff Walker.  He was an exceptional polka dancer.  John rappelled out of UH-1 Huey helicopters behind enemy lines and in the threat of enemy fire.  John literally tackled sides of beef into refrigerated trucks at the Omaha Stockyards to earn money for school (and for dates).  He would inflict “wet willies” with impunity.  He frequently advised hosts at restaurants that it was someone’s birthday, most often when it wasn’t.  He always asked for the waiter/waitresses first name.  He probably loved playing practical jokes a little too much.  He loved watching boxing with a Foster’s oilcan, double Windsor knots, freshly-popped buttered popcorn, John Wayne, Polish Christmas carols, mushrooms, La Casa pizza, cheering on the Nebraska Cornhuskers, the Kingston Trio, a perfect steak, singing the national anthem proudly and out loud, kizka and fresh Polish sausages from Frank Stoysich Meats in Omaha, chocolate-covered cherries, walking a Norwegian Elkhound and Labrador, Arturo 858 maduros cigars with a non-peaty Scotch whiskey, the Austin Healy Mark3000 (and convertibles generally), and Old Spice.

John was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Paula; sister, Sally Anne Smolen, RSM; all of his children; and all of his grandchildren: Joseph, Abigail, Samuel, Madilyn, John Felix, Aurelia, Lucia, Jack, and Peter.

VISITATION: Tuesday, February 18, 2025, 5:00-7:00PM with a VIGIL SERVICE at 7:00PM, West Center Chapel, 7805 West Center Road, Omaha.

MASS OF CHRISTIAN BURIAL:  Wednesday, February 19, 2025, at 10:00AM, St. John’s Parish Catholic Church, on the campus of his alma mater, Creighton University.

INTERMENT: Resurrection Cemetery with Military Honors

For those in Denver unable to travel, a Memorial Service is being planned at Regis University for a later date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the Ignatian Volunteer Corps (740 N. Calvert St., #500, Baltimore, MD 21202; https://ivcusa.org/ivc-community/friends-of-ivc/donate-to-ivc/), Regis University’s General Scholarship Fund (3333 Regis Boulevard, Denver, Colorado 80221-1099; https://www.givecampus.com/campaigns/21516/donations/new, and Creighton Prep’s AMDG (scholarship) fund (7400 Western Ave., Omaha, NE 68114-1878; https://www.creightonprep.org/support-prep/amdg-fund).

To view live broadcasts of the Service, please visit www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “Live Cast” button at the top of the home page.

Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler, West Center Chapel, 7805 West Center Road, Omaha, Ne 68124. (402)-391-3900. www.heafeyheafey.com