Obituary of Marian Gawur

Marian Gawur, age 96, died at home on August 23, 2009. A resident of Kent since 1961, Mr. Gawur was an Emeritus Professor of Library Administration at Kent State University, where he worked as a foreign languages cataloger. He was preceded in death by his wife Irene, also a retired member of the Kent State faculty. Mr. Gawur was born on October 20, 1912 in Lviv, Ukraine. As a youth, he avidly participated in sports, especially track and field. After completing juridical studies Uniwersytet Jana Kazimerza, he worked in the Lviv (Lwow) City administration. In 1944, during the Second World War, with the arrival of the Soviet Red Army, Marian Gawur fled Western Ukraine, then under Nazi rule, and found his way West. With the end of the war, he became a Displaced Person and worked for the International Refugee Organization. In 1950, he arrived via US Army ship to the United States, eventually settling in Cleveland Ohio where he met his future wife, Irene Krucko. While working at Ford Motor Co., he attended night school at CWR University, where he attained a Master's degree in Library Science. From 1961 until he retired in 1983, he worked at the KSU Library. For many years Marian Gawur enjoyed attending the Senior Exercise Program at KSU. He loved to walk, read and travel by car. He was a member of the Holy Ghost Ukrainian Catholic Church in Akron. He is survived by daughters Christine (Leonard) Terplak, of Toronto, Canada and Luba Gawur of Kent and three grandchildren, Andrew, Natalie, and Tania Terplak and family in Ukraine. After a quadruple heart bypass in 1987, Marian Gawur enjoyed good health for many more years. He maintained a healthy lifestyle and practiced simplicity and modesty. He was loved by many for his charm and sweet nature and was an inspiration to his family. His absence will be deeply felt by those who knew him. May he soar like a lark over the Ukrainian fields and meadows of his youth. Calling hours will be at the Anthony Funeral Home Kucko-Anthony-Kertesz Chapel at 1990 South Main St. in Akron, on Thursday, August 27 from 6:00 - 8:00 pm, Panakhyda at 7:30 pm. The funeral will be held at 10:30 am on Friday, August 28 at St. Andrew Ukrainian Catholic Church in Seven Hills, Ohio with Interment at St. Andrew Cemetery. (Anthony Funeral Home, 330-724-1281, www.anthonyfh.com)