“He was the ultimate Rocky”.

Paul John Procko, our beloved soul at 82, of Indian Harbour Beach, Florida, slipped away from us unexpectedly on January 10, 2026, leaving a world brighter for having known his gentle heart and kind spirit . Born on December 17, 1943, in Passaic, New Jersey, to his dear parents Paul and Mildred Procko, he grew up surrounded by love and carried that same nurturing spirit into every chapter of his beautiful life.

With unwavering pride, Paul served four years in the United States Army embodying the courage and dedication that defined him. His service included a multiyear deployment to France, where he enthusiastically served as a communications specialist with the rank of Spec 5.

After his honorable service, he met the love of his life, Barbara, and they lived for many years raising their family in Boonton Township, NJ. During this time, Paul worked for the companies Bendix Corporation and Exxon. During this period, he challenged himself by taking night classes to earn his bachelor’s degree from Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey.

In 1982, Paul decided to take a new career opportunity and moved his family of five to Brevard County, Florida, where he worked at ITT Defense Communications in Cape Canaveral. Again, Paul’s love for personal growth and higher education continued with earning a Masters Degree in Business from the Florida Institute of Technology.

His extraordinary career continued to blossom at Bell Technologies and then as Plant Manager at the Nokia Repair Facility in Melbourne, Florida. He later co-founded ASTEC in Rockledge, Florida, hand-in-hand with three colleagues, creating a lasting company of their own.

Most work colleagues will always remember Paul as a man who respected all positions, greeting every one on a first name basis, and sincerely taking interest in them as people first. Paul was a true people person who always put others in front of himself.

At the heart of it all was Paul’s profound love for our Lord and for his adored wife, Barbara, with whom he shared 60 joyful years of marriage, toasting their enduring bond on New Year’s Eve with hearts full of gratitude and tender memories. He leaves behind a family enveloped in his endless affection, who will hold him close forever: his dear brother Jim; his treasured daughters Kymberly and Lisa (Mike); his wonderful son Paul (Kimberly); his adored grandchildren Joshua, Michael (Karyn), Maximus, and Montana; and his precious great-grandchildren Michael Noah and Camila. He is also grieved by his many extended family members, and his best lifelong friends, Bill and Charlie.

Paul will forever be cherished as a beacon of faith, a tender husband and father whose love provided boundless comfort and strength to his family, and—with the fondest of smiles—as that resilient old guy tirelessly working the punching bag at the gym and never willing to give up his Nokia flip phone. He will be missed with all our hearts.

A funeral service to celebrate his extraordinary life will be held at Holy Name of Jesus on Thursday, January 22, with visitation at 10:30 a.m. followed by Mass at 11:00 a.m. Reception to follow after Mass at church where all will be welcomed to share their memories of Paul.