John F. Lakner

John F. Lakner of Livermore died Jan. 18. He was 92.

Lakner was born on Feb. 5, 1921 in Iron Belt, Wis., to John and Anna Lakner who had emigrated from Yugoslavia. He grew up in Ironwood, Mich. As a child, he enjoyed ice skating and skiing down snow covered iron ore stockpiles.

Lakner earned his bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan in 1942. He worked for Thompson Aircraft Products in Cleveland, Ohio, until he was drafted into the Army in September 1945. He worked in the chemical warfare division, including nuclear testing in Operation Crossroads, Bikini Atoll.

In 1948, he went on to Carbide and Carbon Chemical Corp. at the Oak Ridge facility and was involved in uranium compound waste processing. Oak Ridge is where he met his wife of 65 years, Avo.

Lakner spent 1949 to 1955 at Los Alamos National Laboratory. He obtained his master's degree in chemical engineering at the University of Colorado, Boulder in 1957, and he then moved to California.

He worked for Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in an experimental high-pressure high-temperature facility. He retired in 1986.

After retirement, Lakner spent time traveling (such as driving to Alaska), maintaining three Studebakers, working the backyard orchard and painting in water colors.

Lackner was preceded in death by brothers, Edward and Louie, and by his son, Marc (Denise). He is survived by his wife, Avo; daughter, Holly Bachleda (John); grandchildren Lt. Stephanie Lord, USAF (Bradley), Jennifer Rader (Sgt. Scott, USMC), Sarah Bachleda and Emily Bachleda.

Visitation will be from 6-8 p.m., Friday, Feb. 7, at Callaghan Mortuary, 3833 East Ave., Livermore. His final resting place will be in Ironwood, Mich.