Charles M. Sirk

Mel Sirk, age 88, of Hamilton passed away Tuesday, May 18, 2004. Mel was born April 12, 1916 in Cincinnati, Ohio and attended the University of Cincinnati. He took courses in real estate at Harvard, Tulane and the University of Southern California. Mel was enlisted in WWII 9th Troop Carrier Command. In 1937 he purchased his first real estate investment. In 1946 he founded Sirk Realty in Hamilton, Ohio. In 1959 he incorporated Kris, Inc. and Ohio Corp. He was a tireless businessman, an extremely driven individual. Mel's countless hours of hard work as well as genuine honesty and dedication proved to make Sirk Realty one of the best real estate firms in the Tri-State area.

Mel was a true Hamiltonian. He was a community man in numerous ways. His lifetime accomplishments are extraordinary. He has been a member of the Elk's #93 and the American Legion Post#138 since 1946. He was a member of the Ben Franklin Lodge, Syrian Temple and Hamilton Rotary Club. He was a member of the Hamilton Safety Council as well as the Mayors Advisory Council. He was a director of the Hamilton Civic Music Association as well as Cerebral Palsy, Salvation Army and Goodwill Industries, Mercy Hospital and New London Hills Swim Club. Mel held the president position of the area Chamber of Commerce and was a member of The Fraternal Order of Police. Mel was a member of the Board of Directors as well as the actual director at the Liberty American Life Insurance Company in Columbus, Ohio. He was an active member of the American Institute of R.E. Appraisers. Mel was a former president of the Hamilton, Ohio Board of Realtors and a member of the Cincinnati Board of Realtors.

Mel was honored with realtor of the year in 1958 and YMCA layman of the year in 1968. He was Hamilton Jr. Chamber of Commerce "organizer" in 1953 and their "Boss of the Year" in 1958. He won a distinguished service/leadership award in 1968 and the Paul Harris award in 1965. He was the very 1st vice-president of the Ohio Association of Real Estate. Mel was the founder of the Hamilton Chapter of Sales Makers Unlimited. Mel was a lifetime Rotarian and an actor with the Rotary Revels as well as helping out in other numerous capacities. He was past president of the Toastmasters International #684.

Mr. Sirk was member of the Halifax Yacht Club in Daytona Beach, FL, where he had made his home on the Halifax River for the past 24 years. He returned this past year to his hometown of Hamilton to be closer to his family.

Mel enjoyed traveling. He traveled extensively in 50 states and 45 foreign countries. He visited with Madame Gandhi in her home in 1974. He set sail on a world trip on the Queen Elizabeth for 77 days in 1984. He was the Rotary International Official Delegate to Lucerne, Switzerland and to Tokyo, Japan. Mel was co-founder of Pelican Bay Country Club in Daytona Beach, Florida. He truly enjoyed this endeavor later in life and took advantage of the special commodities including golf, tennis and fishing. Mel loved to play golf when given the opportunity and was very proud of getting TWO holes-in-one in his lifetime.

Mel was an Elder of The Presbyterian Church in Hamilton, Ohio. He lived by Christian example. Mel never met a stranger, he was always friendly. His goal was to make others feel good about themselves and he consciously and effectively was able to do this by specific verbal comments and exclamations. His daughter recalls walking down the street with him and watching him interact with a passerby. The good words he had to say make the passerby stand a little straighter and smile a lot wider. Mel simply turned to his daughter as they continued their walk and said, "See, didn't cost a dime!" This is just a glimpse into the life of Mel Sirk. He was an amazing individual that will be sorely missed.

He is survived by brother Don Sirk and his wife Marjorie, son Bob Sirk, daughter Marcia Sirk Chrupka and her husband Steve. Granchildren include: Shawna Gleason and her husband Sean , Rob Ruwe and his wife Anne, Gretchen Crawford and her husband Mike, Ellie Sirk and Sarah Chrupka. Great grand-children: Conner Gleason, Sydney Ruwe, Hannah Ruwe and Aidan Gleason.

A Funeral Service will be held at The Presbyterian Church, 23 South Front Street, Hamilton, Ohio on Saturday, May 22, 2004 at 10:00 a.m. with Rev. John Lewis officiating. Interment will follow at Rosehill Burial Park. Visitation will be held at Avance Funeral Home & Crematory, 4976 Winton Road, Fairfield, Ohio, on Friday, May 21, 2004 from 5:00-7:00. The family will accept condolences at www.avancefuneralhome.com. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made in Mel Sirk's name to The Presbyterian Church, 23 South Front Street, Hamilton, Ohio 45011.

Visitation

5-7 p.m., Friday May 21, 2004 @ Avance Funeral Home

Service

10 a.m., Saturday May 22, 2004 @ The Presbyterian Church