November 5, 1974 – July 14, 2021
Joey, as he was known by friends and family, of Oakley died Wednesday July 14, 2021. He was born in Pittsburgh on November 5, 1974 to Joseph and Terry Abraham Naunchik of Arnold, Pennsylvania.
Joey was a varsity athlete in football, wrestling, and track and field. He carried this love of sports throughout his life, and was a faithful Steelers fan regardless of their season record. Joey graduated from IUP in 1998 with a double major in elementary education and political science. He worked on several state and federal political campaigns, and briefly taught middle school social studies.
Joey moved to Utah in 2010 and joined the ski patrol at The Canyons, having patrolled for many seasons at Seven Springs Resort in Pennsylvania. Joey was a beloved coworker and an active member of the Canyons Professional Ski Patrol Association, a unit of the Communications Workers of America. When Canyons and Park City merged into one resort, Joey was influential in the formation of the Park City Professional Ski Patrol Association– the largest ski patrol union in the nation. He served as a negotiator and as President of the Association, and was instrumental in other patrols successfully organizing for fair representation. Joey was passionate about ski patrolling and a fair and equitable workplace, and worked tirelessly to advocate and uplift his coworkers and his profession.
Joey is survived by his parents, his brother Danny, extended family in Pennsylvania, his two dogs Layla and Gretel, and countless friends and loved ones in Utah and across the West. There will be a celebration of life at Cattleman’s Hall in Oakley on his birthday, from 5pm to 10pm, Friday November 5. All are encouraged to attend and share stories of our great friend.