John M. Kruzel

John M. Kruzel, 75, passed away on Sunday, September 10, 2017. He lived in Ottawa, Kansas, from June 1989, with his wife, Dee Ellen, until his passing. A funeral mass will be held at 10:00 A.M., Thursday, September 14, 2017, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Ottawa. Interment Highland Cemetery, Ottawa, with military honors by Fort Riley Honor Guard. John was born on January 19, 1942, in Youngstown, Ohio, the son of John Joseph and Anna Marie (Kohan) Kruzel. John grew up on the west side of Youngstown, was a member of Holy Name Catholic Church, and graduated from Holy Name Parochial School in 1955 and Chaney High School in 1959. He attended Youngstown State University and then joined the U.S. Army Reserves on November 10, 1963, and served until he was honorably discharged on June 17,1968. John devoted 26 years of his career in Human Resources and Labor Relations at Aeroquip Corporation, and another 20 years of service with the State of Kansas Department of Labor as an Industrial Safety and Health Consultant. He was a member of the National Rubber Manufacturer's Association, chaired the Hydraulic Lead Press Committee, The Ohio Rubber Safety Committee, was licensed to teach Safety and Health in Ohio, and assisted OSHA at Ground Zero in December, 2001, as a safety consultant from the Kansas Department of Labor, Division of Industrial Safety and Health. John was united in marriage to Dee Ellen Bailey June 3, 1989, by Father Gerald Sheeds at Annunciation Church in Baldwin, Kansas. The blended marriage of John’s five children and Dee Ellen’s two children has been a blessing and a joyful time of active living. Survivors are his wife Dee Ellen, his seven children: Elizabeth Ann Kruzel (Portland, OR), Christina Wasik and husband, Mike Wasik (Boulder, CO), John D. Kruzel (Lawrence, KS), Ann Marie Tah (Lawrence, KS), Michael G. Kruzel (Lawrence, KS), Lisa Bailey (Columbia, SC), Marsha Jones and husband, Tom Jones (Overland Park, KS), fourteen grandchildren: Nickolas Calderwood, Steven Calderwood, Theresa Kruzel, Hannah Bailey, Tyler Kruzel, Sarah Tah, Adam Kruzel, David Tah, Mary Tah, Allie Jones, Addison Wasik, Moriah Kruzel, Grant Jones and Dominik Wasik, two great grandchildren: Sophia and Amira Kruzel, his brother Robert Kruzel (Nebo, NC), niece Cindy O’Keefe, and her daughter Sienna (Austintown. OH). He was preceded in death by his parents, John and Ann Kruzel, and his daughter-in-law, Kris (Miller) Kruzel, wife of John D. and mother of Moriah. John was a passionate member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Ottawa. John enjoyed family, traveling, nightclubbing, dancing, sport cars, his 1931 Model A Roadster, sports, good and bad whiskey, wine and beer, and ethnic foods. John believed the most important things in life are peace of mind, health and family. The family suggests memorial contributions to Sacred Heart Catholic Church c/o Dengel & Son Mortuary, 235 S. Hickory, Ottawa, Kansas 66067. Family and friends are encouraged to post their condolences and memories on John’s Tribute Wall at www.dengelmortuary.com