John Smolenski, 94, East Moline, died Tuesday, January 07, 2014 at Genesis Medical Center, Illini Campus, Silvis, IL. Funeral services are 10 AM Saturday, January 11, 2014 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, Silvis. Burial is in St. Mary's Cemetery, East Moline. Visitation is from 9AM until service time at the church. Memorials may be made to Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, where he was a member. John was born June 1, 1919 in East Moline, the son of Stanislaw and Bernice (Ciesielski) Smolenski. He served in the US Army in France and Belgium during WWII. He returned from the service in 1945 to marry his childhood sweetheart Irene at Holy Trinity Church, Moline. John started work at the Rock Island Arsenal, then at Strombeck Becker and retired after 30 years from International Harvester. He was quite the local pitching Ace, who threw a wicked curve ball. He played for a number of local baseball teams, including Port Byron and was the only non-Serbian to play on the Serbian ball team. John pitched against Satchel Paige's traveling team, during a game played in Moline. Mr. Smolenski was a life long Brooklyn/LA Dodgers fan, and was one of the original coaches for the Silvis Little League. John farmed his 10 acres and lived his entire life at the same property, he was born on. He loved gardening, hunting, fishing, carpentry work and bowled well into his 80's. John was always the first one to help family and friends with their projects. Survivors include his wife Irene, children, David Smolenski, Geneseo, Ron (Rebecca) Smolenski, East Moline, and John (Ruth) Smolenski, Davenport, grandchildren, Jeff Smolenski, Tanya Smolenski and Dustin (Tammy) Smolenski, great grandchilden, Zander and Eliot, his sister, Sophie Krajewski, Houston, TX, many nieces and nephews, and his good friend Ruben Sandoval. He was preceded in death by his parents, and siblings, Joseph, Stanley, Anthony, Mary Krajewski and Bernice Nedzwiecki, and his life long fishing and hunting buddy Frank Mankoski.

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