Joseph M. Sivak, 94, formerly of Dexter Avenue, died Saturday morning March 21, 2009 at St. Mary's Asbury Ridge surrounded by his family. A resident of Erie since 1941, he was born in Mammoth, PA on November 18, 1914 a son of the late George and Elizabeth Bucina Sivak. Joe was a 1939 graduate of New York University where he earned his BS in Education and played football and baseball. He went on to serve with the United States Army in the European Theatre during World War II. He earned his Master's Degree from New York University in 1950 and went on to teach at Harborcreek High School and Roosevelt Junior High School for 32 years. He had been a PIAA football official for 41 years and had coached baseball, football, basketball, and track and field during his teaching career. Joe was a founding member of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church and was a member of the Men's Council, the Retirees Group, and was named Our Lady of Mount Carmel Man of the Year in 1968. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by one sister, Mary Samela and four brothers, Andrew, Steven, Michael, and John Sivak Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Margaret Podvojsky Sivak; three daughters, Ginny DiRaimo of Spanish Fork, Utah, Stephanie Sivak of Flagstaff, AZ, and Veronica Sivak of Erie; one son, John Sivak and his wife Beth of Erie; three grandchildren, Christina Fritzsche and her husband Ryan, Peter Sivak, and Bethany Sivak; and one great grandson, Teague Fritzsche. Many nieces and nephews also survive. Friends may call at the Russell C. Schmidt & Son Funeral Home Inc., 5000 Wattsburg Road (corner of East Gore and Pine Ave.) on Monday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. and are invited to prayer services there Tuesday morning at 9:15 a.m. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church officiated by Rev. Ray Hahn, Pastor of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. Burial will be in Mary Queen of Peace Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to Our Lady of Mount Carmel School, 1531 East Grandview Blvd. Erie, 16504 or St. Mary's Asbury Ridge, 4855 West Ridge Road, Erie, 16506. The family would like to thank the staff at St. Mary's at Asbury Ridge for their loving care.