Andrew G. Kotulic

Andrew Gerald Kotulic, 86, of Tucson, Arizona, passed away peacefully on Monday January 6, following a 7-month battle with cancer. Andrew, or Andrew G, as he preferred to be called, was born on January, 10, 1938 to Slovakian parents, Andrew and Anna Vanda Kotulic, in Evergreen Park, Illinois and was raised within the Byzantine faith in a full house in Chicago’s Gage Park, with his parents, grandfather and 3 siblings.

Andrew G. developed an interest in aviation and engineering at an early age and pursued those passions by attending and graduating from Edward Tildon Technical High School. After graduating, he entered the military with the aim to become a pilot, through the Marine Corp and USAF training programs. Although a treatable eye condition prevented his certification at the time, Andrew G. fulfilled his commitment and then continued with the USMCR, stationed at Glenview Naval Air Station, as member of the Marine Air Control Squadron 22. He would later earn his private pilot’s license.

Andrew G. met his future wife, Joanna Evelyn Bordy, at a friend’s party in 1955. They dated for 6 years while she pursued a nursing degree and he, the military. They married on October 7, 1961. The couple settled in Chicago, established their careers and welcomed their daughter, Karen Lynn, into this world on May 5, 1969.

Andrew G. furthered his education throughout his engineering and management career with Northrop Grumman, Sara Lee, Playskool and Motorola, earning a Bachelor Degree in 1966, a Master Degree in 1973 and a Ph.D. in Business Administration in 2001.

After 15 years in Engineering and 15 more in Management, Andrew G. entered his third career as college level academic, commuting from his home for 12 years. He taught at York College, Kent State and at University of Louisiana, Monroe. His most memorable experience was the 16 months he spent lecturing at Al Akhawayn University in Ifrane, Morocco.

Andrew G. and Joanna moved from Chicago to Tucson in 2000. Andrew G. retired from academia in 2007 after Joanna’s untimely passing and stayed in Tucson for the remainder of his years. He met Julia Kreck (and her parrotlets) in 2008, through their shared interest in traveling, and the four became inseparable. Together, they spent the years working on his domestic and international travel “bucket list”, integrating the game of Geocaching wherever they went. He enjoyed the time he spent abroad, especially in Russia and Italy and among the Mayan ruins in the Yucatan. He viewed everything through a camera lens as photography was a passion.

Andrew G. had a life-long interest in everything militaria, especially regarding the Roman period, world wars and his hero, Alexander the Great. He loved every moment spent in military museums. He was a voracious reader, enjoying sci-fi and alternate history fiction and non-fiction alike. His interest in music varied greatly; though he particularly enjoyed listening to Bessie Smith belt out the blues.

Andrew G. always enjoyed sports, from playing baseball and football as a youth and golf as an adult to attending college and pro games when he could.

Andrew G. is survived by his partner, Julia Kreck; his daughter, Karen (James) Greer; siblings, Mary Ann (Charles) Miller, Joseph (Rose) Kotulic, and Bernadette (Fred) Phaup; his granddaughter, Ashley Greer; niece, Debra Ferguson and nephews, Charles Miller Jr. and Wayne Phaup.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Joanna; his mother, Anna, and his father, Andrew.

Andrew G. will be laid to rest at noon on Thursday, January 16 at East Lawn Palms Cemetery (5801 E. Grant Rd., Tucson) following a service at 9:30 am at St. Melany’s Byzantine Catholic Church (1212 N Sahuara Ave., Tucson)

Rest in peace, Andrew G. ~the Redeployed Academic~

In lieu of flowers, donations to The Oasis Sanctuary at the-oasis.org/donate/ would be appreciated.