Obituary: Victor W. Storhok

As received from Memorial Chapel Funeral and Cremation Service:

Mr. Victor (Vic) Wilbert Storhok, 90 a resident of Idaho Falls, Idaho, passed away at
home the morning of September 7, 2023, where he has lived since September 1977.

Vic was born in a log cabin in the deep north woods outside of Tapiola, Michigan, February 2,
1933, a son Martha (Hyrkas) Storhok and Victor O. Storhok. Shortly after his birth the family
moved to Detroit, MI where his father worked at Dodge. His only sibling Curtis Storhok was born
in 1939 in Detroit. Vic’s love of the Detroit Tigers, Lions, and Red Wings, as well as the Michigan
Wolverines all began in Detroit. After Vic completed 1st grade the family moved back to Tapiola
where Vic lived an idyllic childhood of adventures in the woods, fishing along the streams,
trapping Pine Martens, playing baseball in the late summer evenings, hockey at the outdoor rink
by the school, and skiing through the fields through the endless winters of Michigan’s Copper
Country. Vic attended all-grade John A. Doelle School in Tapiola and graduated in his high
school class of 14 students in 1950. While at Doelle School, Vic ran track and field and watched
his female cousins go undefeated in girls’ basketball for many years, he was very proud of their
impressive string of championships.

Vic then went on to attend Michigan College of Mining and Technology (Michigan Tech) on an
Air Force ROTC scholarship, AFROTS Detachment 400 “Guardians of the North.” He graduated in
1954 with a B.S. degree in Metallurgical Engineering, and commission in Air Force. He interned
at US Steel in Gary, Indiana, and after graduation took a 6-month job at Battelle-Columbus
Laboratories, Columbus, Ohio, before reporting for duties in the US Air Force at the Air Force
Flight Test Center Edwards Air Force Base, California.

While at Edwards AFB Vic’s daily duties had him testing, repairing, and improving the fan blades
of jets of the pilots of “The Right Stuff” fame flew. When the first B-52 test aircraft showed up
his team increased the durability of the jet fan blades engines from one flight cycle to more
than a dozen. His most memorable experience though was having a conversation with Rita
Moreno at the Officers Club, who was there hanging out with other Hollywood stars filming
“Toward the Unknown.”

After completion of his military duties, he returned to Battelle-Columbus. In 1959 he bought his
Alfa Romeo Spider that led to many interesting adventures over the 15 years he owned it along

with his Lotus, Bugeye Sprite, and Corvette. His love of speed led to a life-long passion of auto-
racing and flying with his wife Sandra. He also loved water sports, sailed, canoed, and rafted thewaters of Michigan, Ohio, and Idaho, and got stuck in most locations.

In September 1962 he met the love of his life Sandra Lee (Wilson) Storhok at a social club picnic
near the Columbus Zoo. Vic and Sandy married at Condit Presbyterian Church, Condit Ohio,
November 26, 1963, and honeymooned in Fort Lauderdale, FL. They moved to Minerva Park
Ohio where they resided until 1977. Sandy’s family adored Vic and loved spending time with
him and his many activities including NFL games in Cleveland, MLB games in Cleveland, Detroit,
Cincinnati, Chicago, auto races at Mid-Ohio, and vacations to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Vic’s son’s Victor “Chris” Christopher Storhok and Eric Matthew Storhok were born in Columbus,
Ohio, 1964 and 1967 respectively, forever changing the course of Vic’s life. He loved being a
father and raising his sons and the many adventures that entailed. He supported their many
activities including baseball, hockey, football, band, orchestra, and the extensive travel those
activities required first in Ohio, and finally in the Rocky Mountain west. He loved going to
Moscow to watch University of Idaho football (and occasionally WSU football) and of course
University of Idaho Marching Band “The Pride of Idaho” performances by his son Eric, grandson
Alex, and granddaughter MeKenzie with a final performance at the 2016 Famous Potatoes Bowl.
He played old men’s league in hockey in Columbus and Idaho Falls and loved a good game of
catch using the same glove from 1957 until 2003 when he injured his shoulder forcing him to
stop playing in the Idaho Falls Church softball league for 1st Presbyterian Church.

Vic’s career with Battelle took him throughout the US where he often traveled to the Idaho
National Reactor Testing Station, Engineering Test Reactor in the 1960’s, Hanford, Rocky Flats,
Los Alamos, Lawrence Livermore, Oak Ridge Tennessee. In 1977 the next great adventure
started with moving to Idaho Falls to work with EG&G Idaho at Test Area North and then in
town finishing his career with Lockheed Martin Idaho Technologies Company. He also worked
in Washington D.C. representing EG&G to the Department of Energy as well as the US Bureau of
Mines. Retirement meant 27 years of cruising the Caribbean, Hula in Hawaii, adventures in
Alaska, snowmobiling in Yellowstone, fishing in Michigan, traveling with his children and their
spouses, loving on his grandchildren, and living life to the fullest.

Vic was preceded in death by his father Victor O. Storhok (1983), his brother Curtis W. Storhok
(1989), and his mother Martha (Hyrkas) Storhok (2002).

Surviving is wife of almost 60 years, Sandra (Wilson) Storhok, son’s Chris and his wife DeLaina
Storhok of Moscow, Idaho, Eric and his wife Ines Storhok of Ann Arbor, Michigan, grandson
Victor “Alex” Storhok of Albion, Washington, granddaughter MeKenzie A. Storhok of Tapiola,
Michigan and granddaughter Suzzanne A. Storhok of Moscow, Idaho (University of Idaho).
Vic’s memberships included (but were certainly not limited to): Alpha Sigma Mu honor
fraternity; Northwest Mining Association; Metallurgical Society of the American Institute of
Mining, Metallurgical, and Petroleum Engineers, Sports Car Club of America, Ohio Valley and
Alfa Romero Club. Vic held numerous patents on the various projects throughout his long
career. His first citation was from Vice Admiral Rickover, US Atomic Energy Commission, 1962,
for publication of Neutron Absorber Material Reactor Control, zirconium-boron alloys. He was
proud of a citation from NASA (1977) for his role of development of the Multi-Hundred-Watt
Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generator that, to this day, power Voyager I and II spacecraft
mission beyond the solar system into deep space. He authored and co-authored dozens of
scientific journal articles. Vic was a member of 1st Presbyterian Church in Idaho Falls and served as a Deacon and Elder.

Vic was a generous donor of time and resources to his several organizations, just to name a few:
Little Brother, Friend of the Elderly in Hancock, MI; Community Food Basket of Idaho Falls 1st Presbyterian Church, Idaho Falls; the University of Idaho; and Michigan Tech University.

Vic was a proud coach of several of his son’s teams including Idaho Falls Youth Baseball,
Idaho Falls Babe Ruth Baseball, Idaho Falls Amateur Youth Hockey, Columbus Amateur Youth
Hockey, and Westerville, Ohio Little League.

Funeral Services will be held at First Presbyterian Church Idaho Falls, ID at 11:00AM and a
luncheon to follow on Thursday, September 14, 2023. Funeral Services will also be held at
11:00AM September 19, 2023, at Memorial Chapel in Chassell, Michigan, followed by graveside
and interment at Elo, Cemetery, Pelkie, Michigan and a luncheon at Grace Free Lutheran Church
in Pelkie, Michigan.

In Lieu of Flowers, the family suggests memorials be given to the Community Food Basket of
Idaho Falls or Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly in Hancock, Michigan.

To view Vic’s obituary or to send condolences to the family please visit www.memorialchapel.net.

The Memorial Chapel Funeral & Cremation Service – Chassell Chapel is assisting the family with the local arrangements.