Richard Thomas Janak, Sr. was born February 1, 1925 in Bruno, Nebraska the third child of Peter Janak and Emily Rejda Janak. While Dick was in school, the family moved to Omaha when his dad took a job playing sax and clarinet with Charlie Kucera’s Orchestra.

Dick served in the U.S. Navy in World War II in the Pacific Theatre from 1942 – 1946 aboard the USS Ajax.

In 1946, Dick married Anne Lucas. Together they had two beautiful children Rebecca Anne, who we call Ricki, and Richard, Jr. Anne passed away in 1971. Dick later married Leona Galas Smejkal and became stepfather to her four children — Sue, Mary Jane, Joe, and Nancy. Dick had four grandsons – Chris, Mark, and Eric Wulf and Jared Janak as well as three step-grandchildren, Beth Klauschie-Perez and Tom and Tim Huber.

Dick began playing the tuba in his early teens under the tutelage of his dad Pete completing the beginnings of a family band with Pete and brother Eddie on sax and clarinet and brother Leonard on drums.

Dick’s professional musical career took off in 1964 when his brother-in-law Frank Hazuka started his band Frank Hazuka’s Music Makers and hired Dick on the tuba. In 1975, Dick started his own six-piece band “The Dick Janak Orchestra.” The band played its first job on Valentine’s Day, February 14, 1975 at the old South Omaha Sokol Hall at 21st and U Streets. Throughout the late 1970s and 1980s, Dick’s band was busy most every weekend playing for weddings, church festivals, and other engagements in South Omaha and beyond. He enjoyed this time playing next to his son Rich. The band recorded one album entitled In the Olden Days in 1981.

When The Dick Janak Orchestra disbanded 1988, Dick kept busy playing with the Jolly Yanks led by Rich Novak and later led by Frank Kostka, Sr. Through the years, Dick also filled in with Dean Hansen and the Czechlanders.

He passed away April 10, 2001 at the age of 76.

With Dick’s induction to the Sokol Omaha Polka Hall of Fame, his family has a great distinction of being one of only two with three generations of members. In addition to Dick, his father Pete and son Rich have also been inducted into the Hall of Fame. The other family with three generations is the Dvorak family with Vaclav Dvorak, his son Charlie, and his son Rudy inducted as members.

Besides his father and son, Dick joins the following family members as members of the Sokol Omaha Polka Hall of Fame: his daughter-in-law Marla Hansen Janak, his brother Eddie Janak, his brother-in-law Frank Hazuka, his sister-in-law Helen Janak, and nephews Tom Hazuka and Kenny Janak, Jr.

We’re very happy that the Janak family has joined us today to celebrate. Dick’s daughter Ricki is here to accept the hall of fame award on his behalf.