Joseph Simon Golaszewski

Joseph Simon Golaszewski—poet and beloved husband, father, grandfather, and friend to nearly everyone he met—passed away on Friday, July 17, just as the sun slipped behind Colorado’s Rocky Mountains. He was surrounded by nearly all of his family.

Joseph grew up on the South Side of Chicago and joined the United States Air Force as a young man. During his first overseas deployment, he met the woman who would become his wife on a beach in Rabat, Morocco. Over the following year, he taught himself French and, as a disc jockey for Armed Forces Radio, dedicated romantic songs to her over the air as part of his determined campaign to win her heart. It worked. Joseph and Josette were married for 66 years.

Joseph was immensely proud of his family, and he especially treasured his five grandchildren. He was their first cheerleader, their greatest supporter, and their lifelong public relations agent.

His three Colorado grandchildren could count on seeing him in the stands at every swim meet—and he attended every one of them. He cheered so loudly that they could hear him underwater. He celebrated every birthday and graduation and took enormous pride in seeing all three earn their college degrees. He remained a constant presence in their lives, celebrating the marriage of his eldest grandson and was excited for the upcoming engagement of his eldest granddaughter.

That joy grew even greater with the birth of his twin grandsons in California. Despite the distance, he celebrated every one of their birthdays and delighted in hearing about their adolescent shenanigans. When his health and the miles between them prevented him from attending their sporting events, he watched as many of their games as he could through livestreamed video.

He formed close bonds with all of his grandchildren’s friends and the nieces and nephews of Tim’s family; to all, he was lovingly known as Grandpa Joe.

Joseph’s heart was bigger than the body that held it, and it was always open to anyone who needed him. He believed deeply that every human being deserved dignity, empathy, and respect, and he cared passionately about injustice wherever he saw it. He taught his family, far more through example than instruction, to treat every person with dignity and respect, to offer help freely and generously to those less fortunate, and to spend their lives trying to leave the world better than they found it. These were not merely principles he spoke about. They were the way he lived.

He was kind with his words and generous with his time. If you were hurting, doubting yourself, or simply lost, Joseph would listen, encourage, and support you. It did not matter whether you were family, friend, or stranger. He quietly changed lives by helping people recognize their own worth and believe in their talents. He took more than one family friend under his wing, and once Joseph believed you could accomplish something, it became nearly impossible not to believe it yourself.

Joseph is survived by his wife, Josette; his daughter, Natalie, and her husband, Tim; his son, Michael, and his wife, Petra; and the five grandchildren who were at the center of his world: Stephen and his wife Fallon, Jacqueline and her future fiancé Terren, Joelle, Joseph, and Roman.

Joseph understood that his passing would bring profound grief to those who loved him, and he was troubled by the pain they would feel. Ever the poet—and still trying to comfort and care for his family—he left them with these words:

Our tears are like a soothing balm

That often bring a sense of calm.

Releasing all the hurt inside

And that’s the reason to have cried.

There’s solace in that simple tear

It helps our troubles disappear.

Our tears can wash away the pain

And soothe us like refreshing rain.

—Grandpa Joe