Greg was born on June 3rd, 1949 to John and Irene Ziolkowski, in a displaced persons camp in Heilbronn, Germany during World War II. At the age of two, his family traveled to America and settled in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Greg joined the Army after high school and served as a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War. After his second combat tour, he was honorably discharged in 1972 with the rank of Captain, 1st Air Cavalry Squadron, at the age of 22.
Greg received his bachelor's degree from Thomas College in Waterville, Maine while working for the National Guard. He then worked as a Quality Assurance Specialist for Defense Contracts in Grand Rapids before his retirement in 2012. He was an active member of the VFW and American Legion, and loved spending time with his daughter, Abby.
Greg was preceded in death by his parents, John and Irene and 2 brother-in-laws. He is survived by his daughter Abigail (Brian) McFarlane, ex-wife and friend Robin Ziolkowski, his siblings Z. Joe (Elizabeth) Ziolkowski, Mary Kowalik, Annie Owsiany, Henry (Lynn) Ziolkowski, and several nieces and nephews.
Memorial Services with Military Honors will be Tuesday, June 25th, 2019 at 11 am at Reyers North Valley Chapel. A time of visitation will precede the service from 9-11 am. The family invites everyone to stay following the service for a light luncheon.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to:
Grand Rapids Home for Veterans
3000 Monroe Ave NE,
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
Donate here:
https://media.state.mi.us/MichiganeStore/public/ProductDetails.aspx?categoryID=7&productID=271
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