Joseph J. Gares

Joseph John Gares passed away quietly on the morning of July 29, 2020 of a brief illness after having survived COVID-19 in March. He lived a long and interesting life and was a huge presence in the lives of so many people.

He was born to John and Barbara (Schick) Gares on August 31, 1923 in Detroit, their youngest surviving child, and baby brother to Mike, John (Hanz), Frank, and Anna. He began his career in business at a young age during the Great Depression, getting a job fetching groceries in the store and carrying them home for the neighborhood ladies who patronized Smith’s Grocery Store. Even then, his desire to take care of the family was evident. He regularly spent 5 cents from his weekly wages to buy his Mother strawberry ice cream—her favorite!

He went to Catholic school, and especially appreciated his time at St. Joseph’s high school, where the Christian brothers instilled in him a lifelong love of reading and learning. He also loved playing football at St. Joe’s, and his enthusiasm for the sport never dimmed, even after his leg was broken by an illegal clip from behind. Luckily Brother Brennan was there to give him a snort of whiskey to dull the pain and whisk him off to the hospital to get that bone set.

He went to work at Fitzsimons Manufacturing Company right out of high school as a clerk, but war was brewing and in March of 1943, he received his induction notice. He joined the Marine Corps and quickly reached the rank of Sergeant within the Second Marine Division, where he bravely participated in the battles of Tarawa and Saipan. After the war was over, he went to Washington D.C. as a Marine Paymaster Clerk until he was discharged in March of 1946.

After his service, he came back to Detroit and resumed working at Fitzsimons Manufacturing Company, where he worked until he retired as Vice President of Sales.

In 1952, he met the love of his life, Lillian Urli. They were married on June 13, 1953, and proceeded to create a family immediately, with Velma born in 1954, Donna in 1955, Barbara in 1956, and Laura in 1959. He was the consummate family man, willing to help with diaper folding and bath-time as well as being the official bedtime storybook reader. He especially liked taking us to the petting zoo on Belle Isle to feed the goats on Saturday mornings to give Lil some time to herself. As we girls got older, he liked nothing better than firing up the grill and cooking rotisserie chicken and steak for the family, grandparents and aunts and uncles. As we had our own families, he delighted in taking fresh fruit and other treats to his grandchildren every week.

He would have been 97 in August of 2020, and as a result, he was sort of the last man standing of his generation. He was preceded in death by his parents and all of his siblings. He lost his beloved Lillian to Alzheimer's Disease in 2004, and his son-in law Gary Eaton, a dear pal and confidant, in March of 2020. Unbeknownst to him, he also lost his cherished grandson Jarrod Champine 10 days before his death.

He is survived by his daughters Velma Kidd (Mike), Donna Mann (Chris), Barbara Eaton, and Laura Gares; his grandchildren Sarah Nason (Mark), Mike Kidd (Ashley Hessel) Joseph Champine (Kelly Withers), Annette Hofmann (Drew), Will Colding (Susannah Lawrence), Elizabeth Colding, and Jarrod Champine’s partner Maria Perry; and his great-grandchildren, Claire and Henry Nason, Nolan and Cameron Champine, Elsa, Lukas and Nico Hofmann, Charlotte Perry Einbinder, and Madison and Leo Champine.

He will be remembered by all for his fierce love of family and his dedication to taking care of everyone to the best of his ability.

A private viewing will be held for the family, followed by internment with Lillian at the Great Lakes National Cemetery later in the year. The family will organize a memorial Mass for him sometime in 2021.

In lieu of flowers, please help us honor his memory with a donation to the Capuchin Soup Kitchen in Detroit (cskdetroit.org) if you are so inclined. This was his favorite charity – a place that gives nourishment to the body and the soul.