Eugene "Gene" Golab, Died May 23, 2019

Eugene Golab
Died May 23, 2019

CEDAR – Eugene Golab, 86, of Cedar, formerly from East Pointe passed away Thursday, May 23, 2019 at Munson Medical Center.

Gene was born on February 8, 1933 in Detroit, the son of Frank and Mary (Gostek) Golab. His parents passed away when he was 14 years old. He was raised by his siblings Ted, Lillian and Stanley. He graduated from De Lasalle High School in 1952 and studied engineering at University of Detroit.

As neighbors, Gene fell in love with Marge Zauski. They married in 1957. Through their 62 years of marriage, Gene lovingly referred to Marge as “the girl next door”.    

Gene served his country in the U.S. Army.  After his military service he worked as a technical writer for Fruehauf Trailer Company in Detroit, creating repair and maintenance manuals for commercial trailers. Shortly after retirement, Gene and Marge moved to their home on Lime Lake, near Traverse City.

Up to the day before his passing, Gene enjoyed a mile and a half pre-dinner walk. Even in his later years, his family and friends found it hard to keep up with his endurance.

Marge and the entire family looked forward to Gene preparing breakfast and lunches. Except for tending the grill, he left the 

preparation of dinners to his beloved wife Marge.

He was the ultimate Detroit Lions Fan. He loved telling stories of his brother Stanley and him attending the last Lions championship game in 1957. Gene would tell his sons “I sure hope I am alive long enough to see the Lions win a Super Bowl”. Unfortunately, he did not get his wish.

He was an amazing father and grandfather. He had a talent for entertaining his kids. From taking his boys to watch the planes take off and land at Detroit Metropolitan Airport to annual vacations in northern Michigan and bringing home frogs in the boy’s socks, Gene had a unique talent for creating entertaining adventures and lifelong memories. He deeply loved his grandchildren. He passed his love of making balsa wood airplanes onto his grandchildren. He was the only grandfather who could magically catch an invisible ball in a paper bag. The guy never missed! His love for his entire family was his greatest attribute.

Gene is survived by his wife Marge, their four sons and spouses, David Golab (Henry Pon), Greg (Lori) Golab, Rob (Marcia) Golab and Randy (Susan) Golab; and eleven grandchildren, Kyle, Emily, Reanna, Michael, Zack, Molli, Nate, Jacob, Hannah, Ethan and Genna.

Graveside services and urn entombment in the columbarium of the Great Lakes National Cemetery in Holly, MI, will be held at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday, June 20.

In lieu of flowers, memorials in Gene’s name may be directed to the Down Syndrome Association of Northwest Michigan, in memory of his friendship with his favorite little neighbor Carmella Valentine.  Address: PO Box 2151, Traverse City, MI 49685 or their website of www.dsupnorth.org

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