John Joseph Dziurman

John Joseph Dziurman, age 81, of Rochester Hills, Michigan, passed away on February 16, 2023, at home after a long illness with family by his side. He was the beloved husband of Katherine, father of Kimberly Dziurman and Tiffany Dziurman Stozicki (Michael), and Papa to granddaughter Katherine Stozicki. John provided his family with everything they needed, especially love, and was there for them every step of the way. He lived his life with integrity, honesty, determination, and grit, along with an incomparable creative energy.

Born on July 5, 1941, in Hamtramck, Michigan, to John Leonard Dziurman and Helen (Sklarski) Dziurman, John was a young altar server at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, played sports, and attempted to play trumpet. At eight years of age, he often studied the houses across the street from his family’s home on Longview Avenue in Detroit, sitting on the curb to sketch them. This favorite childhood pastime led to a successful and award-winning career in architecture.

John attended St. Ambrose Catholic High School from 1955-1959. Among his greatest personal accomplishments was playing the center position as No. 90 on the storied St. Ambrose High School football team of the late 1950s. Upon graduation, both Dartmouth College and the University of Michigan recruited him to play football, but John turned them down to focus on studying architecture, his lifelong passion. As a student at St. Ambrose, John also played hockey and baseball, returning after graduation to coach football.

On October 3, 1964, John married the love of his life, Katherine Rasegan, in a ceremony at St. Ambrose Catholic Church. They honeymooned in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, which inspired a lifelong love of the water and summers spent making memories with family on Lake Michigan.

John joined Meathe Kessler Associates in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, in the early 1960s, working on the prestigious W. Hawkins Ferry House, among other projects. He attended evening classes at both the University of Detroit and Lawrence Institute of Technology, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Architecture in 1970. John’s 60-year career included positions with Giffels Associates, Straub VanDine Dziurman Architects, Wade Trim Group, and Wade Trim Dziurman. In 1979, he established John Dziurman Architects Ltd. with offices in Rochester and Charlevoix, Michigan, which he continued to manage until 2020.

Early in his career, John focused on modern and contemporary design. Later, he became a champion for historic preservation, winning awards for his restoration of the Western Knitting Mills Building, U.S. Post Office Building in Rochester, Haig’s of Rochester building and façade in Rochester, Michigan, and the Greensky Hill Indian Mission United Methodist Church in Charlevoix, Michigan, to name a few. Additionally, John earned over 40 design awards from such industry organizations as AIA Michigan/AIA Detroit, Engineering Society of Detroit, and the Masonry Institute of Michigan.

Because of his love for architecture and design, John enjoyed mentoring young architects, serving as adjunct instructor in the Education Department at Michigan State University and the Architectural School at Lawrence Institute of Technology. He published numerous papers and articles on architecture and design and held design and technical patents in the United States and 12 foreign countries. His pursuit of creative and functional design was an inspiration to many.

John was a member of the Grosse Pointe Jaycees; the University Club in Detroit; charter member of the Downtown Development Authority, City of Rochester; lifetime charter member of the Paint Creek Center for the Arts, City of Rochester; chair of the Rochester Hills Historic District Commission; and commissioner for the Rochester Historical Commission, City of Rochester. He was a member of the American Institute of Architects, Michigan Society of Architects, Engineering Society of Detroit, National Trust for Historic Preservation, Michigan Historic Preservation Network, and the Rochester-Avon Historical Society.

John loved spending time with his family and having dinner “around the table” with everyone talking and sharing stories. He was a consummate gentleman and a class act. His stories were legendary. John made the best gin and tonics and loved to sip an occasional martini and smoke a cigar while sitting on the deck of his summer home overlooking the sunset on Lake Michigan. Early in life, John was an avid sailor. He also enjoyed playing golf and squash, doing carpentry work around the house, working outside, reading, sketching, fishing, skiing, and spending time near the water. He loved every sunset he was fortunate to see. A Spartan through and through, John was proud that both daughters graduated from Michigan State University. His granddaughter was his pride and joy. John’s favorite flower was the daffodil – a symbol of hope and rebirth, the first flower to emerge following the cold, dark days of winter.

John is survived by his loving wife, Kathy, his daughters Kimberly and Tiffany, son-in-law Michael Stozicki, granddaughter Katherine Stozicki, sister Darlene Sokolowski, and many loving nieces and nephews. His brother, Theodore Dziurman, preceded him in death.

John’s family will receive relatives and friends at a visitation on Wednesday, February 22, from 4 to 7 p.m. with a Rosary service at 6:30 p.m. at Pixley Funeral Home, 322 W. University Drive, Rochester, Michigan, 48307. A funeral mass for John will be held on Thursday, February 23, at 11 a.m. at St. Ambrose Catholic Church, 15020 Hampton, Grosse Pointe Park, Michigan, 48230. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hospice of Michigan, St. Ambrose Catholic Church, or the Michigan Historic Preservation Network.