John K. "Zeke" Olen, 86, of Penn Avenue in Lyndora died Wednesday at the Butler Memorial Hospital.

Born April 10, 1922, in Butler, he was a son of Nick and Eva Rosko Olen.

Mr. Olen was a World War II Army veteran. He was a tank commander during the war and saw action at Normandy and at the Battle of the Bulge.

He retired in 1992 as a baker at the Lyndora National Bakery after more than 50 years. He also had worked at Armco-Butler Works for a period of time following his return from the Army; and he and his brother, Steve, owned and operated a parking lot at the entrance to Armco on Bessemer Avenue for many years.

Mr. Olen was a member of the St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Lyndora. He also was a 62-year member of American Legion Post 778 in Lyndora and was a life member of the Lyndora Volunteer Fire Department and the Slovak Sokol Society. He greatly enjoyed going to his camp in Forest County.

John's wife, Julia K. Kaschik Olen, who he married Aug. 8, 1949, died May 10, 2001. His sister, Ann Kosar and his brother, Steve X. Olen, also preceded him.

Surviving are a sister, Mrs. Mary Kaschik of Denver; three nephews, George P. Bristen of Fenelton and John and Robert Kosar, both of Butler; three nieces, Dorothy Newcaster of Butler, Evalyn Fetterman of Denver and Stephanie Klinedorfor of Paris, France; three sisters-in-law, Helen Bristen of Renfrew and Olga Olen and Ann Kaschik, both of Butler; and his best friend, Bill Jackson of Butler.

<B>OLEN </B>—<B> </B>Friends of John K. "Zeke" Olen, who died Wednesday, June 18, 2008, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Friday at the <B>Geibel Funeral Home</B>, 201 E. Cunningham St. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at the St. John the Baptist Byzantine Catholic Church in Lyndora with Abbot Leo Schlosser, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at the Rose Hill Cemetery.Parasta's services will be at 7 p.m. Friday at the funeral home.Information also is available at www.geibelfuneralhome.com.