Louis Malosh

Louis Malosh lived his life with purpose each day with his faith as the compass that guided his way. He believed in striving for excellence and the importance of treating others with respect. Lou was a student of those around him and in doing so, impacted the lives of so many others in a positive way. Taking charge came easily to Lou which naturally led him to volunteer for just about anything, sometimes biting off more than he could chew. The heartbeat of his family in many ways, Lou treasured his wife and children, and he viewed his grandchildren as life’s greatest reward. A true blessing in the lives of many, he will be deeply missed.

The year 1941 is often remembered as the year our nation engaged in WWII, but it was also the year that Mount Rushmore was completed, Thanksgiving Day was declared as the fourth Thursday in November, and Dumbo hit the silver screen. There was much to celebrate during this same year for the family of Elmer and Ruby (Moore) Malosh since it was on April 7th that they welcomed the birth of their son, Louis. Born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Louis was joined in his family by his sister, Mary Lou, and was raised on the northeast side of the city. As a young boy his tanned skin during the summers earned him the nickname “fudge.” He attended local schools where he excelled in math and spelling and with his free time, Lou loved to roller skate and even instructed others in skating, too. In order to earn some extra money he had a paper route and as a young teen, Lou worked at Meijer. After graduating from Creston High School, he took some accounting classes at Davenport College.

Life was forever changed for Lou after he met the young girl with whom he would write an eloquent love story. Her name was Joanne Goebel and they met in Grand Haven during the summer of 1963. It was during this same time that Louis enlisted in the Army and while home on leave before his planned deportation to Germany, he asked his sweetheart to marry him. Lou and Joanne exchanged their vows on December 7, 1963, and he soon shipped out. His new bride worked in town for a few months, but then joined her husband in Germany. Louis and Joanne returned to the states when he was stationed in Colorado but once his military service was fulfilled, they returned to Grand Rapids.

In order to provide, Lou initially worked at Meijer again, but he quickly became interested in the insurance industry. He began taking classes and soon entered into the career that would span the rest of his life. Lou worked as a financial advisor and although he was a natural salesman, he firmly believed in his products and advice. His true desire was to help people and he wasn’t afraid to speak his mind, but he was never overbearing in what he offered. Louis spent many of his working years representing what is now Northwestern Financial Network.

With a desire to have children, Lou and Joanne decided to adopt their two boys, Mark and Kevin, as infants. Eventually, they began taking classes to become foster parents, providing a home for five additional foster children. Several years later, they had their daughter, Nicole. Times the Malosh family spent together were treasured ones and together they saw much of the world around them. Lou and Joanne often took the children camping in their pop-up trailer, visiting many places throughout Michigan as well as regular trips to Cedar Point. Spring break found them in Gulf Shores, Alabama for many years as well.

Lou was an active part in the lives of his children. He was a Boy Scout leader, a Little League coach, regularly chaperoned events at their schools, and volunteered with their youth group at church. Louis was often in the stands for his children’s sporting events where his cheering was hard to miss. He passed his meticulous organizational skills on to his children and also taught them to return things to where they came from. Lou insisted that if you borrowed something, then you better bring it back in better shape than when you borrowed it. Lou was the disciplinarian in the house and as far as he was concerned, it was usually his way or the highway!

Throughout his life, Lou was passionate about many things. His faith was a vital part of his life and he believed in being an example to others through the life he led. Lou felt that living a life of faith meant there was always room for growth and improvement. He was a faithful member of Thornapple Evangelical Covenant Church for many years where he enjoyed being involved in Bible studies and sharing a time of fellowship with his many friends. Lou had a deep love for cars that began when he raced as a young boy. He was mechanically minded and many engines were rebuilt in his garage while teaching his sons everything he knew. He attended the Detroit Auto Show for many years and during the sunset of his life, Lou proudly watched his son Kevin and grandchildren race cars and go karts. He liked hunting deer, pheasant, and turkey, often with his cousin and with his beloved hunting dog, Bounce. He also loved to fish and usually read the newspaper after arriving home from work.

Over the years Lou was blessed to share his life with his true love. Together they enjoyed bowling and traveling in their motor home. In the late nineties, they moved to Indian Lakes near Howard City and in after Joanne retired in 2005, they moved to Jordan Lake near Lake Odessa. Although Lou never officially retired, he cut back some and enjoyed having more free time. He loved seeing his grandchildren and made many weekly visits to see them.

An outgoing and talkative man, Louis Malosh was a great man to know. He was independent, generous, and fun-loving - a genuine kid at heart in many ways. Lou loved his work, but his greatest love was reserved for his family. First and foremost in his life was his love for the Lord and through his quiet whispers of faith, he inspired those around him to be genuine in their walk with the Lord he served. Lou’s memory will be forever cherished.

Louis J. Malosh died on January 26, 2011. Lou is survived by his wife, Joanne; their children, Mark (Patti Piotrowski) Malosh, Kevin Malosh (Lyndsey Helsley), Nicole (Jason) Centala; grandchildren Thaddeus, Julia, Gabriel, Dominic and Hezekiah; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Anita (David) Gross, Ellen (Victor) Prowant, James Mosher; aunt, Alberta Schram; and several nieces and nephews. Lou was preceded in death by his sister, Mary Lou Mosher. A funeral to celebrate Lou’s life will be held on Saturday, January 29 at 11 a.m. at Thornapple Evangelical Covenant Church, 6595 Cascade Road. Friends may visit with his family on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home – Van Strien – Grand Rapids, MI. Interment in Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com where you can leave a favorite memory or make a memorial contribution to the Neuropathy Association