Charley Emil Janik was born October 4, 1925, in Jourdanton, Texas, the third child to Emil Joe and Sophie (Sindel) Janik. At age four, the family moved from Jourdanton to East Bernard, Texas, where he continued to live throughout the rest of his childhood. While attending East Bernard High School, he worked for Koym’s Feed Store after school and on weekends as well as delivering the Houston Chronicle, and Press and Post newspapers. He also worked the summer before his junior year of high school at the Stearn and Rogers Company in Lissie, Texas.

Charley was drafted into the Army on July 29, 1944, where he spent basic training at Camp Walters in Mineral Wells, Texas. He was trained as a heavy machine gun operator #605 and remained at Camp Walters until January 24, 1945. He received his overseas orders to serve with the 42nd Rainbow Infantry Division, 232 Infantry Regiment in Rhineland, Central Europe. There he fought in three major battles in the cities of Munich, Wurzburg, and Schweinfurt, Germany. On April 26, 1945, Charley received a Bronze Star, as well as other decorations and citations for moving his machine gun into a positive position and laying down intense gunfire forcing the enemy to retreat, thus allowing the bridge engineering crew to tend to their wounded and continue their bridge building assignment across the Lech River. While serving in Germany, Charley received an additional Bronze Star, the Combat Infantry Badge, E.A.M.E Campaign Ribbon and a Good Conduct medal, as well as being promoted to Sargent. He received orders to return to the United States on June 23, 1946, and was Honorably Discharged from the Army on July 1, 1946, at Fort Sam Houston. He was called back into service in 1950 and spent a year in Korea until being honorably discharged in October of 1951.

Upon returning to civilian life, Charley worked at the City Meat Market in Wallis, Texas, and then for Duval Sulphur Co. in Orchard, Texas, toward the end of 1949. He married Mildred Melnar from Wallis on April 26, 1949, and lived happily together for 66 years until her death in 2015. Together they raised two children. In 1966 he went to work for EIM in Missouri City as a machinist working there until January of 1981. After switching jobs and then being laid off in the oil bust of 1982, he went back to work at the City Meat Market until his retirement in 1992.

Charley was a very active member in both the Wallis American Legion, and the Father Nemec Council of the Knights of Columbus. Many people will remember him as a tireless bingo worker, for many years working up to three nights a week for the Guardian Angel Parish, the American Legion, and the K of C bingo games. As a member of the Wallis American Legion, Charley served various positions including Post Commander, and Color Guard, as well as representing Post 200 at area and state conventions.

Charley Emil Janik was preceded in death by his parents; Emil Joe and Sophie (Sindel) Janik; sisters Willie Mae (Janik) Rieger, Betty (Janik) Krenek; brothers Louis Janik, Bennie Janik, Edwin Janik and LeRoy Janik; and his wife Mildred (Melnar) Janik.

Charley is survived by his daughter Cheryl (Janik) Drabek and husband Jerry Joe Drabek of Hempstead; son Chris Janik and wife Lora Janik of Bay City; granddaughter Rebecca (Janik) Waddell and husband Matt Waddell of Pearland; and grandson Matthew Janik of Houston; as well as two great grandchildren, William and Nathaniel (Janik)Waddell.