Gerald John Zawodny

Gerald Zawodny, 88, of Toledo passed away Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Hospice of Northwest Ohio Perrysburg. He was born May 1, 1936 in Toledo, Ohio to Joseph and Helen (Kujawa) Zawodny.

Growing up in Kuschwantz on Nebraska Avenue, Gerald attended St. Anthony's School and Macomber High School. Among the neighborhood kids that hung out together attending dances and CYO events, he met the love of his life, high-school sweetheart and wife of 65 years, Charlotte. They married on October 13, 1956, and welcomed 4 children, followed later by 6 grandchildren, 5 great grandchildren and a few favorite furry friends along the way. A man of many talents, he was a skilled carpenter, fine craftsman and cabinetmaker, as well as musician and singer. He approached them all with a sense of precision and attention to detail, as well as a great sense of humor and pride in the finished products. 

From his days at Macomber in shop class, he spent his entire life building and fixing things, still swinging the same hammer from high school 70+ years later. If you touched a tool in his tool box, he knew it. Everything definitely had its place. In his early days, he worked at several firms including Industrial Woodworks and McKimmy & Elliot, followed by decades of running his own business for building and remodeling, including building the family's first home on Evesham Avenue. Evenings he could be found in his in-law's garage ripping lumber or pre-building parts with the help of his teenage sons in preparation for the next day's work. Following his own business, he spent time as a project manager at construction firms including Commonwealth Construction, Bucher & Sons and the Lucas Metropolitan Housing Authority.

Gerald’s musical talents developed at an early age, starting on accordion, eventually changing to trumpet. As part of The Cavaliers band, they would go on to be crowned Polka King in the early 1950s, winning a trip and recording session at the RCA studio in Chicago. He went on to start his own band, the Ambassadors Combo, and in the decades that followed played weddings and other events. The evening’s job usually wrapped up with a 2 a.m. trip to Gino’s to bring home pizza for his eagerly-awaiting kids. Those friendships lasted his entire life, and he especially loved recounting stories at their musician lunches during retirement. Stanley, Larry, Tom, Gene, Dick and others provided so many fond memories and lots of laughs. 

Gerald enjoyed singing in church choirs alongside his wife at Our Lady of Lourdes, where he often served as cantor, and at St. Hyacinth, where he frequently provided Polish pronunciations. He served as an altar boy at St. Anthony's, a lector at St. Hyacinth, and also President of the Holy Name Society at St. Hyacinth. 

Gerald loved a good joke, loved to make people laugh, and always seemed to have a crafty or clever reply. When people would say "It's nice to see you, Jerry," you typically got "it's nice to be seen." Ask him how he'd get his boxwoods shaped into perfect spherical shapes, and he'd say "I just cut away all the parts that aren't round." Over the years he enjoyed Tigers opening day games, braving the cold with his sons and grandkids, and watching Lions games on Sundays. He loved a great stage show or sporting event, especially when it featured his kids or grandkids. 

The talents he shared and many creations along the way will last with us forever, and we will always remember the knowledge, humor and fun times along the way. From trips to Cedar Point and Pearson Park and the zoo, to Sunday family drives, to kicking a football after a long day at work, he worked hard and had fun. Now he can finally reunite with his wife, whom he missed so dearly for the past three years. Dad and Dziadzia, you will be missed!

Gerald was preceded in death by his wife Charlotte and sister, Patricia Kajtaniak, and is survived by his children, Deb Zawodny, Tim (Sarah) Zawodny, Jeannine (James) Sanderson, and Jeffrey (Laurel) Zawodny; grandchildren, Rebecca (James) Gietzen, Joshua Zawodny, Rachel (Andrew) Fridenberg, Joseph Zawodny, Brett (Amberly) Rosebrock, and Emily Zawodny; and great-grandchildren, Madelyn, Henry, Brody, Bentley and Bridger.

Visitation will be Thursday, May 1, from 4-8 p.m. at Sujkowski Funeral Home Northpointe, 114 E. Alexis Rd. with a rosary at 7 p.m. The Funeral Mass will be Friday at 10:30 a.m. at St. Hyacinth Catholic Church preceded by an hour of visitation at the church. Interment will follow in Resurrection Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be given to St. Hyacinth Catholic Church. Condolences may be shared at www.sujkowski.com.

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