Edward F. Pavelecky

Ed Pavelecky, aka “The Duke of Dirt”, died peacefully at home on Sunday, November 24, 2019 surrounded by his wife and daughters.

A giant man both in size and spirit, Ed was born on April 13th, 1947 to Edward and Lucille (nee Revelt) Pavelecky. After years of torturing the staff, he graduated from Wickliffe High School and promptly founded his company, Pavelecky Excavating. He met and charmed the pants off his wife Judy (nee Wright) with his hilarious reading of the Chinese food menu and his penchant for keeping brass knuckles under the seat of his car. Together they raised six (!) fun and funny daughters and many dogs.

Ed was a big guy that loved food, family and friends. Some days in that exact order. His life’s work was doing what he loved – digging in the dirt with his big yellow toys and driving dump trucks. Eddy collected Caterpillar machinery like some people collect coins. He also collected many things besides machines….model trains, watch fobs, rocks (so many rocks), die cast toys, and shells. There wasn’t a flea market, carnival game or funnel cake booth that he could pass up. Ed was always the guy at the amusement park or fair walking around with giant stuffed animals on their shoulders. If you were there with him, you probably had one too.

Ed passed along his love of camping, games, roller coasters, rescue dogs, eating, naps and casinos to his girls. Each 21st birthday meant an inaugural trip to Las Vegas that was as much for the girls as it was for Ed. He taught his girls to give great hugs, enjoy a good meal, run a backhoe, change a flat tire, pick a good slot machine, play “three dollars”, make bacon bread, drive a snowplow, find the most comfortable spot on the couch, and barter for a great deal. He will be greatly missed by Judy and (in birth order, not favorite order – wink) Susan (Denes Chapo), Amy, Michaele (Mike Sheredy), Carol Anne (Dwayne Randall), Julie (Keith Carney), and Nicole (Andrew Vassil) as well as his favorite sister, Mary Sowul. He loved being Grampy to Everett, Macie, Cameron, Beckett, Bayah, Aiden and Colbie.

A gathering of family and friends will be held at the Wickliffe I & A (Small Hall) 29717 Euclid Ave., Wickliffe on Sunday, December 15, 2019 from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m. We invite you to stop by at your convenience to share your best Ed stories. Please dress comfortably as Ed despised neckties for any and all occasions. Donations in Ed’s memory can be made to the Lake County Humane Society 7564 Tyler Blvd. Building E Mentor, OH 44060 and the Geauga County Dog Warden 12513 Merritt Dr. Chardon, OH 44024, where he found some of his best forever friends.

Arrangements by Orlando-Donsante-Previte Funeral Home of Wickliffe (440) 943-2466.

To leave condolences for the family, please visit www.orlandodonsanteprevitefh.com.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Edward F. Pavelecky, please visit our floral store.