Charles L Voytko

Charles Lawrence Voytko passed peacefully into eternity on Friday July 26, 2024, in the company of loved ones, after fighting a brief series of illnesses, the last member of his immediate family.

Charles was born on April 19, 1932, in Johnstown PA, the son of Charles Voytko Sr. and Valeria (Troyan) Voytko. A graduate of Ferndale high school, class of 1950, Charles served his country in the US Army in Germany during the Korean War. He then attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Design in 1959.

Charles went on to a successful career in Industrial Design, working in New York City, Pittsburgh and Bedford PA for the Hedstrom Company. He designed playgrounds and toys for generations of children. In 1993 Charles founded Arcadian Designs. His creative prowess was legendary and continued throughout his life, producing drawings, designs, sculptures, and woodwork.

Charles took immense pride in his extended family, and loved to brag about each of their academic, athletic, or artistic achievements. He enthusiastically attended any niece or nephew’s performance, from beginning ballet to Broadway musicals, then shared photos with the rest of the relatives.

On retirement, Charles turned his energy and talents to volunteerism. Ever a patron and an advocate of the arts, he served on the Johnstown Concert Ballet board, offering guidance as well as photography, graphics, and website design. He was an active in the Save Our Steeples group, contributing architectural knowledge and translating Slovak inscriptions for Resurrection Parish stations of the cross. Charles was the family historian, unearthing vintage photos and finding links between past and present. When the need arose, he took on caretaker and guardian duties for Helen and Cecelia Troyan, easing their transitions to assisted living, tending to their needs, and fulfilling their bequests. Charles was also a dedicated National Audubon Society and Allegheny Plateau Audubon Society member

But he may be best remembered as a board member of Stackhouse Park, the forest where he spent his childhood. Charles was deeply involved in Stackhouse’s renaissance over the years, and he contributed dozens of detailed wood sculptures and inventive signage to the paths and pavilions throughout the park, his gift to the future.

Charles is survived by his longtime companion Joanne Morgan; his cousins Alice Voytko; Ruth Kemerer; Rich & Winnie Voytko; Jack Voytko; Francis Troyan; Helen Goldberg; Robert Kisko; Delores Adams; Joan Markel; Frank Tomaselli; and three generations of nieces, nephews, great- and great-greats too numerous to count, who will always remember him fondly as Uncle Chaz.

A viewing will take place on Friday August 2 from 4:00 to 8:00pm at the Francis G. Ozog Funeral Home, 710 Broad St, Johnstown.
A funeral mass will be held at the church of Saint Michael the Archangel, 180 Gilbert Street, Brownstown, PA on Saturday August 3, 2024, at 10:00am.  
Committal will follow at Grandview Cemetery Mausoleum.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Charles’ memory are gratefully accepted to the Stackhouse Park Fund of the Community Foundation for the Alleghenies. https://cfalleghenies.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1013
Or to the Johnstown Concert Ballet   https://www.johnstownconcertballet.org/opportunities-for-support/

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