Joseph T. Malecha, age 88 of Northfield, passed away Tuesday, November 9, 2004 at the Long Term Care Center of the Northfield Hospital. Funeral Mass was held at 11:00 a.m. Friday, November 12th at the Church of St. Dominic in Northfield with Father Dennis Dempsey as celebrant. Burial at Calvary Cemetery in Lonsdale. Serving as pallbearers were Scott Sevcik, Kevin Malecha, Dave Kriske, Bruce Skluzacek, Steve Peterka, and Bernie Malecha. Joseph Thomas Malecha was born October 17, 1916 on the family farm in rural Wheatland Township, MInnesota, son of Joseph and Rose (Tupy) Malecha. He was raised on the farm and attended parochial school in Lonsdale and then Faribault High School. He then farmed with his parents for a number of years. On October 22, 1940 he was united in marriage to Julia Mary Simon at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Veseli. Their first home was on a farm where they raised their two children and dairy farmed for 28 years. In 1968 they sold their farm and moved into Northfield where Joe worked at the Northfield Foundry for 17 years, retiring in 1985. His farming interests were strong and he always had a large garden at his home in Northfield and enjoyed maintaining his yard and lawn. They had a cabin on French Lake for seven years and then a cabin on Roberts Lake for the next 13 years where he loved to fish. During retirmenet they took numerous bus tours throughout the U.S. and visited all but four states. They also traveled to Europe, Hawaii, and Mexico. Playing cards was a favorite past time and he was a member of the Knights of Columbus at St. Dominics. Joseph T. Malecha is survived by wife, Julia; son Ronald Malecha of Blooming Prairie; daughter Karen Sevcik of Lonsdale; grandchildren, Kevin Malecha, Jennifer (Dave) Kriske, Lisa (Bruce) Skluzacek, Scott (Lisa) Sevcik; five great grandchildren; and sisters-in-laws Mary Malecha of Lonsdale, Marion Malecha of Apple Valley, Gladys Sandburg of New Prague, Helen Skluzacek of Lonsdale, and Janet Kocina of New Prague. He was preceded in death by his parents; daughter-in-law Carmen Malecha; and brothers, Robert, Ben, Emmanuel, and Emil Malecha