John Brodak Always looking Skyward
Monty V Stewart
Devry
Author Note

I have known John for Ten years now. He is a family man, community leader, cancer survivor and his passion has always been Control line model airplanes.
John Brodak Always looking Skyward

In 1947 John was eight years old and his brother was six, they were outside doing what boys of that era did when they heard a strange noise overhead. There was a sputtering and then just a wind rushing sound as a disabled two winger plane landed in the field directly across the road from their home. They quickly joined the fast growing crowd to watch the pilot leap from the plane, Gas can in hand asking for direction to the nearest gas station. John and his younger brother were in awe and spent hours as the circled the plane hoping for the pilot to return. They finally gave up and went home, but the next morning they returned in time to watch the pilot start the plane, taxi down the field and take off. . John started working at the family business at a young age and this is where he developed his strong work ethic. In 1952 at the age of 13 he received his first model airplane. An Aeromite complete with engine. He spent hours trying to get that engine started. He says now that believes he burned up the glow plug, by hooking the battery up incorrectly. In his frustration he tied a line to the plane and began whipping it around in a circle. He told his younger brother George to catch the plane as it flew by and then he tried to maneuver the plane up and over his head to make him miss. George still bears the scar on his upper lip. Later that year he convinced his Mother to let him sell Model airplanes that he had bought and assembled. At first she resisted the idea, thinking john would build the planes so fast that she would not be able to display the quickly enough. . Then in 1955 he convince his mother to stock model planes, glue, and a few engines in the gasoline station corner of the grocery store. Here is when john became a business man. In 1960 he married Coral Welsh. The couple moved to Washington Pa and left behind his small hobby shop but not for long. One day on his way home from work as a machinist he spotted an empty store front. They rejuvenated the old building and moved in. The business was listed as Brodak’s Hobby Center and they expanded to carry trains, model cars, chemistry sets, etc. With the impending birth of their first child in 1962 and the discount house of that era making tings finically difficult john and coral decided to move back to Carmichaels and John would take over the running of the family business. He has greatly expanded the business to include, Brodak’s manufacturing He purchased a trailer park and has owned and operated several beer distributors and two additional grocery stores. He was has become cancer free. In talking to him about his fight with cancer he realizes how much he is loved by family and friends and is thankful for all the cards and support during his ordeal. He has had failures but has determination to see everything through and is always looking skyward. Footnotes
1
Figures

.