John Nowosad, who grew up in the City of Detroit, but most currently resided in Grosse Pointe Shores, passed away peacefully and comfortably with family at his bedside at the age of 85 on Saturday, October 23, 2021.
John was a retired educator in the community. He worked as a consultant for the HighScope Foundation and taught early childhood education classes at Wayne State University. Most notably, John was a first grade teacher in the Grosse Pointe Public School System, having taught at Monteith Elementary School for 19 years. He was well-liked by students and staff alike, and had a reputation as being silly and light-hearted, he always had a “dad joke” or Jolly Rancher to give away to passers-by. A quick wit, John was a lover of the absurd and appreciated good comedy. John had a Master’s of Education and a Bachelor of Arts from Wayne State University, having graduated from Chadsey High School in the City of Detroit in 1954. John grew up Russian Orthodox as a first generation Ukrainian American, and attended church at Saints Peter and Paul Orthodox Cathedral in Detroit. He rejected organized religion but maintained respect for the community and its rituals. John also served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, though he did not reflect fondly on this time and spent the rest of his life as an avid anti-war supporter and critic of military intervention. John loved to stay abreast of current events; he was an intellectual and was well-read on a variety of topics. He was an avid reader of newspapers, reading the New York Times and the Detroit Free Press daily. John will be remembered for the newspaper clippings that he carefully curated to the interests of those in his circle. He was a lover of jazz and enjoyed live music, shopping for and listening to vinyl records with his close friends and son-in-law. Much of his free time and retirement was spent with family and friends at his cottage, his home-away-from-home, in Harrisville, MI. A home he designed himself, he enjoyed the fresh Northern Michigan air and the views of Lake Huron. John loved the City of Detroit, and always had a story to share of his time having grown up there. He enjoyed good conversation over brunches and dinners with his family and friends, snuggling up on the couch with a newspaper and his beloved dog, Lulu, and relaxing stays at his cottage with his wife.
John leaves behind his wife, Susan Nowosad, and their beloved golden doodle, Lulu. He is also survived his eldest daughter, Sarah, his son-in-law, Jon, his granddaughter, Norah, and his youngest daughter, Anna, who resides in Anchorage, AK.
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