Michael J. Prokopchak, Major, USAF, Ret., 88, a 40-year resident of the Clovery area of Silver Spring, Md., died Saturday.

He was born at his parent's home, May 16, 1920, the youngest son of predeceased Sophia and Frenk Prokopchak. of the Highfield/Lyndora area.

Michael graduated from Butler High School in 1937, worked at Armco Steel in Butler and volunteered to serve in the Pennsylvania National Guard, 28th Infantry Division, obtaining the rank of sergeant.

Upon the start of World War II, he served with the U.S. Army Air Corps, Ninth Air Force as a radio/radar operator in the European and North Africa theaters of operations, flying on B-17 and B-24 aircraft, pursuing German submarines in the North Atlantic and other bombing missions.

After the war, he attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology, now Carnegie-Mellon University, in Pittsburgh, graduating with a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering in 1950. While completing his college course work, he worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the first air pollution control measures in the United States for Pittsburgh.

Maj. Prokopchak was a member of the choirs at the St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland, Pa., for six years.

He was called to active duty for the Korean War, commissioned as a second lieutenant and was a master navigator onboard C-82, B-26, and C-124 aircraft. Maj. Prokopchak remained on active duty after the war earning a B.S. in electronic engineering from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology in 1957 and served in the Military Airlift and then the North America Air Defense Commands as a squadron commander until his retirement in 1965 with 27 years of honorable military service.

During Mike's service, he flew 79 combat missions with more than 400 flying hours. His tours of duty included stateside and overseas locations including a tour of duty at remote early warning radar sites in Labrador, Canada and Greenland.

His military decorations include the Air Medal with two bronze oak leaf clusters, Good Conduct Medal, American Defense Medal, American Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, Euro-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with silver star, World War II Victory Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, National Defense Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Award with five bronze oak leaf clusters, Armed Forces Reserve Medal and the Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon.

In 1967, Mike joined the National Aeronautics and Space Administration as a mission support manager at the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. He was instrumental in providing support for military reconnaissance, communications, scientific research and weather satellites, as well as manned space flight missions. He was a loyal member of the Goddard Employees Welfare Association bowling league for more than 25 years, even after he retired.

Upon retirement from NASA in 1985, Michael and his wife, Edna, traveled throughout the U.S. in their travel trailer. They also enjoyed extended trips to Europe, the Panama Canal and visiting extended families in Italy, Germany, the Czech Republic, Romania, Ukraine and Slovakia.

Michael joined choirs wherever stationed. During Mike's 40 years in the Washington area, he lent his Russian bass voice to the choir of St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Silver Spring, Md.; the Choir of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.; the Slavic Men's Chorus of Washington; and the Paul Hill Chorale. When his children were younger, Mike was active as an assistant scout leader in the Boy Scouts of America.

Maj. Prokopchak is a past Grand Knight and a Fourth Degree Knight of the Knights of Columbus of the Holy Family Council and was proud of his service as an usher at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception for 24 years. He was a life member of both the Disabled American Veterans and the National Rifle Association.

Mike was a member of the Air Force Association and the Carnegie Tech Alumni Association as well as several other World War II veterans' organizations. He also was a charter sponsor of the U.S Air Force National Memorial in Washington, D.C.

He was multilingual and able to read and converse in most Slavic languages as well as French. For more than 20 years, he was a chief election judge for the Montgomery County (Md.) Board of Elections. He especially enjoyed hunting in the woods of Pennsylvania with relatives and attending the annual Grazioli/Serafine family reunion at the original homestead on Snow Hill above Bradys Bend.

He was preceded in death by his sisters, Julia Prokopchak of Highfield/Lyndora and Helen (Prokopchak) Nash of Highfield/Lyndora; stepsisters: Eva Legan of Lviv, Ukraine; Mary (Prokopchak) McKay of Lyndora; Anna (Prokopchak) Brockenauer of Bronx, N.Y.; three stepbrothers, Sr. M. Sgt. John Prokopchak, USA Ret., of San Antonio, Texas, Andrew (Prokopchak) Procter of Butler, and Paul Prokopchak of Lyndora.

Maj. Prokopchak is survived by his wife of 66 years, Edna Marie (Serafine) Prokopchak; and their four children, Col. Michele E. Prokopchak, U.S.M.C. Ret., of Silver Spring, Md., Michael E. Prokopchak of Harwood, Md.; Donna M. (Prokopchak) Flaherty of Littleton, Colo.; and, SFC Leonard F. Prokopchak. USA Ret., of Silver Spring, Md. He has nine grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and five great-great grandchildren.

<B>PROKOPCHAK </B>— Family and friends of Michael J. Prokopchak, Major, USAF, Ret., who died Saturday, Jan. 24, 2009, are invited to attend the viewings from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at the Francis J. Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Blvd. West, Silver Spring, Md. A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the St. Johnthe Baptist Catholic Church, 12319 New Hampshire Ave., Silver Spring, Md.Additional viewing will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the <B>Steighner Funeral Home</B>, 111 E. Slippery Rock St., Chicora. A Mass of Christian burial will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the St. Patrick Church with interment at the St. Mary Cemetery, both in Bradys Bend. The Rev. Joseph Bonefed, the church pastor, will officiate.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Departments of Maryland and Pennsylvania, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301; and the Air Force Memorial Foundation, One Air Force Memorial Drive, Arlington, VA 22204.Full military honors will be conducted by the Chicora VFW, the Chicora American Legion and the Air Force Armed Forces provided by the Department of the Defense.For more information, directions or to extend condolences to his family, go to www.steighnerfuneralhome.com.