MAGNOLIA - Brian Vodak died Thursday surrounded by family at his home in Magnolia following a brief and valiant battle with cancer.
He was a man with so many interests, passions and hobbies that it is difficult to define him by what he did for a living, even though his intense work ethic and dedication to his employer propelled him to a very successful career at Comcast NBCUniversal.
The quality that stood out to those who knew and loved Brian was the intense, thoughtful and thorough way he approached almost everything in his life. He was always prepared, whether it was bringing the proper lures on a fishing trip, having three of the right tool on a remote worksite or remembering the matches and toilet paper that saved someone's day when camping. He also was quick with a jovial ribbing for those who weren't as prepared.
A native of Annapolis, Brian was born to Gerard A. Vodak and Mary J. (Hoban) Vodak. His parents came from two multi-generational Annapolis families – the Vodaks of Eastport and the Hobans of downtown Annapolis.
Brian was raised on Washington Street in Eastport and attended St. Mary's from 1st through 9th grade. He graduated from Annapolis Senior High in the class of 1985. He was one of six male Vodak cousins of approximately the same age who grew up within three blocks of each other in Eastport – a group that was mostly affectionately known as "those Vodak boys."
In recent years, he was a very competitive tournament and league billiards shooter, where he achieved the highest ranking for an amateur shooter and traveled to national invitationals in Louisville, Ky. and Las Vegas, Nev.
Brian formed many of his lifelong friendships as captain of dozens of pool teams over the years. It was there where his natural talent at studying opponents, strategizing matchups and keeping his teammates organized and on task led to many more victories than defeats.
He always approached life the same as he did playing pool. It didn't matter if he went two and out or won the entire tournament, he would find something to improve upon and come back even stronger.
That quality also led him to success in the workplace.
Following his graduation from Annapolis High, Brian took a job as a courier for a company in Crofton that specialized in the same-day delivery of important documents and packages throughout the Washington DC, Baltimore and Annapolis area.
As technology ate away at the courier business in the early 2000s, Brian saw that he would need to change careers to stay competitive in the job market.
He joined Comcast as a cable installer in the Millersville office in 2005 and quickly rose through the ranks. He spent many evenings and weekends studying for certifications and preparing for his jobs in advance. His stellar employee ratings propelled him into the maintenance side of the company where he was one of those hardhat-clad guys you'd see at the wheel of a bucket truck responding to downed wires.
He was recognized by the company for a weeks-long deployment to Hurricane Sandy in New Jersey, where he helped restore services to the thousands of people affected by that storm. He also won numerous awards throughout his Comcast career and was named employee of the month several times.
In addition to the Millersville office, Brian worked out of the Prince Frederick office and most recently the Dover Comcast facility, where he is profoundly missed by his friends and coworkers. He always had their backs and "would go to war" if one of them wasn't being treated fairly. Brian's work required many sleepless nights working outside in the worst weather conditions. True to his nature, he didn't complain.
When Brian wasn't working, he enjoyed and dedicated himself to numerous hobbies. His love of fishing led to the purchase of a boat which he kept on the South River in the mid-1990s. Brian's tackle boxes were meticulously labeled and his rods and reels thoroughly cleaned and maintained. And he put a hurting on the rockfish population when he frequently took friends and family out on the bay.
He did it with his vehicles, purchasing the repair guides and the tools required to do several major overhauls over the years.
He did it with pool, where in recent years he even bought a lathe to turn his own pool cues and outfitted his basement with a table to practice hours on end.
He did it as a fan of professional sports over the years he traveled to Florida to see the Daytona 500 and the Orioles in spring training. He attended several, Orioles, Capitals and Redskins games each season and in the past few years developed a passion for Manchester United of the British Premier League.
Brian was a loving and generous son and brother. He was a very young man when his father passed away and he moved back home to help his mother and sister.
When Brian transferred to the Dover Comcast offices and bought his house in Magnolia, he asked his mother to move in with him so he could help care for her.
It turned out that she helped care for him as he grew weaker from the cancer.
Brian approached his prognosis and treatments the way he approached all the other things in his life, head on and resolutely. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him
Brian is survived by his mother, Mary J. (Hoban) Vodak; his sister, Christy (Vodak) Urban and her husband, Gary Urban; a nephew, Josh Urban; a niece, Jess Urban; and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Gerard A. Vodak.
A memorial service is scheduled for 3 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 at Torbert Funeral Home, 1145 E. Lebanon Rd., Dover, DE 19901. Visitation begins at 2 p.m.
Letters of condolence may be sent and guestbook signed at www.torbertfuneral.com