Russ Choka, owner of Coney Island passes away over the weekend

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) - The long-time owner of Coney Island, Russ Choka, passed away Friday night.  He was 88.  He had owned and operated the downtown restaurant for more than 50 years.

His daughter, Kathy Choka, said her father went to the hospital early last week.  Doctors let him to go home Friday morning, and then died that night from cardiac arrest.

Kathy Choka said many people were shocked to hear the news.

" They can't believe Russ Choka's dead because he was bigger than life," she said Sunday at Coney Island.  "They say, 'I never thought Russ Choka would die.'  See, I always thought he would die here.  He called himself the Iron Man.  It was like, Russ Choka....88 years old, but still willing to take on the world."

Russ Choka entered the business through his wife's family.  Russ Choka's father-in-law was the first family member to manage Coney Island.  He passed the business onto Russ because his children already had their own businesses.

Kathy Choka said it was a blessing his passing took place before Christmas, because the family was in town for the holidays.

"A ctually, I thank god that my father passed just before Christmas," she said.  "The busiest season of the Coney Island.  This is the big time.  It's all about families being together."

Four generations sat around a table for lunch Sunday afternoon.  Most relatives, at one point or another, had worked at Coney Island.

"H e hired grandkids, grand nephews, the nieces," said Byron Choka, a nephew of Russ Choka.  "It's really been in the family the whole time."

Byron Choka said he worked at Coney Island while going to college.

Kathy Choka feels Coney Island is a place where families come after important events.

"I know people that come here after weddings," she said, "after births, and after funerals."

In 2014, Coney Island will turn 100 years old.  Kathy Choka plans to run the business, following in her father's footsteps.  She plans to keep everything the way her father had it.

" It's a very very special place," she said.  "It's not a business like every other business.  Its got an intangible that you really can't explain, other than, you've heard of Christmas spirit, well, there's Coney Island spirit.

" Not much changes here.  We paint it, and we put electrical tape on it.  This place is held together."