Michael Zelinka, 74, of Lyndora died Sunday after a long illness.

Born in Lyndora, Aug. 26, 1931, he was a son of Frank and Mary Gonko Zelinka.

He was a graduate of Butler High School and was an Army veteran.

In 1993, he retired from the pipe shop at Armco-Butler works.

Mr. Zelinka was lifelong member of St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Lyndora. He also was a member of the Butler Armco Employees Association.

He was a loving husband, father and grandfather who found great joy in his family.

Surviving are his wife, Irene Prokop Zelinka, whom he married in Lyndora on Aug. 22, 1959; two sons, Michael and Mark Zelinka, both of Butler; a daughter, Michelle Cronin and a son-in-law, Christopher Cronin, of Gibsonia; and three grandchildren, Aaron and Rachel Zelinka, both of Hanscom Air Force Base, Maine, and Emily Cronin of Gibsonia.

Also surviving are a brother, Frank Zelinka and a sister-in-law, Rosemary, of Butler; a sister, Mary Herman of Lyndora; an aunt, Julia Gonko of Lyndora; and numerous nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by a brother, John Zelinka, and an infant sister, Martha.

<B>ZELINKA </B>— Friends of Michael Zelinka, who died Sunday, July 2, 2006, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Wednesday at the <B>GEIBEL FUNERAL HOME</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St. A funeral liturgy will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday at St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church, 105 Kohler Ave., The Rev. Dennis Bogda will officiate. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery.Parastas services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the funeral home.Information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.