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Light a Candle
Gary Paul Kalisz 51, life ended suddenly and unexceptedly on Friday April 20, 2012 of a heart attack in his 14 year old son Michael's bedroom. It was Michael that found his dad's lifeless body. Gary was born on Saturday, October 29, 1960 Gary graduated from Imlay City High School Class of 1978, having played high school football. Gary then began his life long involvement with “car work” by working in his older brother Stan’s business at Van’s “R” US. Gary was so proud of his brother’s business. In 1981, Gary moved to South Florida and began working for Econo Auto Body at the age of 21. During his 15 years with Econo, Gary was promoted from Assistant manager to Area Supervisor. In 1983 Gary was awarded the Manager of the Year Award; Econo’s highest employee award. In 1996, Gary opened his own business in Riviera Beach, Florida: Precision Auto Painting & Collision Center, this is the year Gary met and fell in love with Deborah Chansky-Gates. Together with both of them behind the wheel for the next 10 years Precision continued to grow, they also started an Auto Detailing Business and an Auto Transport Business. Through out the years Gary always was giving back to the community and helping out the needy during the holiday season in the Riviera Beach Community. He would choose two to three familys in need and make sure they had a holiday to remember never wanting them to know he was behind there holiday joy. He would also help single mothers and fathers twice a year with a full auto body repair & paint. Gary believed every car was a reflection of each owner and no car should be blemished. Gary took great pride in ever job he took in. Many of Gary's prominent account during the 10 years of his business were municipalities such as The City of Riviera Beach, Lake Park, Palm Beach Gardens, Jupiter, Palm Beach County Sheriffs Department, Florida Department of Transportation, US Goverment Homeland Security,Florida Fish & Wildlife, to name a few along with many major local independent company's. March 21, 1998 was the best day of Garys life when Gary and Debbie celebrated the birth of their son Michael Gary Kalisz. Michael was truly the apple of his dad's eye I don't think one could find a happier or prouder dad than Gary. On October 11, 2005 Gary and Deborah were married in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, in a beautiful loving ceremony surround by loving family and friends, this made Gary officially DAD to Debbie’s older son, Jonathan. After Gary suffered a serious accident in 2005, Precision Auto closed in May of 2006 so Gary could recuperate from 2 major spinal surgery's. In 2009 Gary returned working in the field of Paint & Body . In September 2011, Gary found a family run business which he considered his new second home, in Port St. Lucie, Florida. In Gary’s leisure, Gary loved to volunteer his time back in 2001 when his older son Jonathan was in NAVY ROTC at Palm Beach Gardens High School Precision Auto Painting and Collision Center donated all the money for the whole ROTC to attend the Annual Ball at no cost to any of the cadets, that had never been done before. Gary received the highest honor for a volunteer when he volunteered in his son Michael's middle schools and in May 2010 Gary received an award from H.L. Watkins Middle School in Palm Beach Gardens for the Volunteer of the Year with 576 Volunteer Hours that year in the Math Science and Robotics Program, which his son Michael was enrolled in. You could of found Gary and his wife Deborah at the Green Market in Palm Beach Gardens on any Sundays in 2009, 2010 raising money and always using his own money to purchase the food and drinks being sold for the benefit of the kids enrolled in that program... Mr. Steve Blount was the teacher of that program that year 2009. now a Jupiter High School teacher who spoke at Gary's Celebration of Life Service. Gary's wife Deborah recalled Steve reflecting on so many fond memories of Gary, he (Steve Blount) was breaking down several times durning his eulogy of Gary he was having a hard time holding back his tears. (Deborah said) . He (Steve Blount) believed Gary missed his calling as he truly loved being with the kids assisting and doing whatever Mr. Blount needed of him. Deborah recalled Steve saying Gary would of made a great teacher as he loved the energy and excitement the students had when he was present, helping doing what it took. Steve shared a story about Gary and a Mt. Dew Bottle Rocket Gary designed from a 16 oz Mt.Dew bottle, Gary was always looking to do something for someone no matter the age to make a difference in there life" it was Gary that showed Steve that these kids need him (needed Steve) In Jonathan's Gary's older son's eulogy to his dad, Jonathan said "Gary had an HUGE loving heart, Gary my dad was a man of little words but his action spoke volumes if he could do something for someone he was the first one to step up and do it, not asking for any help, he never looked for a thank you but if you were lucky enough to know my dad you knew when he was thankful just by his huge smile and the look he had on his face in his eyes. My dad just wanted everyone to be happy and he did what he had to, to make them happy always going to bat for the underdog and never forgetting that giving from the heart will one day come back to you. I was lucky to have this man as my dad he may not of been my blood father but he sure was my dad from my age of 9.5 yrs old gary kalisz was my dad. He taught this very selfless lesson to me and my little brother and it was my dad that molded me into the man I have become today. I miss you dad, I love you dad, your lessons and love I will carry in my heart till we meet again." Michael Gary's youngest son... was so broken he couldn't read his eulogy he wrote about his dad so Youth Pastor Dale Eby from The Church in the Farms read it on Michael's behalf and Pastor Dale couldn't get though Michael's writing with out breaking down himself. here's Michaels' reading "My dad was always there for me when. every year he always was there for the first day of school. when there was problems he was always there for me. i miss him walking thru the door and saying hey Michael lets go play some football and every thanksgiving we would always have a little rivalry when the Red Wings played the Bruins, or when the Lions played the Pats. ive been looking at the door around 6:15p almost every week day hoping that daddy would come thru that door or i would stand outside waiting for his truck to come down the road. i remember my last conversation i had with my daddy the night before he passed, it was about how i got accepted into the criminal justice program at Jupiter high school he was so proud of me he cried i miss him, i really do. he was my dad i will always love." Gary's wife Deborah tried so hard to speak to read her eulogy for her beloved husband but her voice even with the microphone was barley audible this was a woman truly broken at her core after her sudden deep loss of her soul mate, her love, her husband the dad of her children as she stood before 100 plus close family and friends dressed in Garys favorite color RED. Deborah could hardly hold it together but with her grace and poise she did her best and everyone of the people who attended Gary's Celebration of Life Service on Saturday May 5, 2012 knew the love Gary and Deborah shared for each other. Very rarely did you not see Gary with out Deborah and vise-a-verse-a- they were truly a team in everything they did. Deborah closed her remembrance of her true love with this: " Gary Paul fist time me met I knew I wanted to share the rest of my life with you. I knew you were the man for me. Sure we've had bumps and pot holes in our journey, but our bond is unbreakable, nothing or anyone could break our 17 year bond that speaks such volume of the true love we shared for each other. The bottom line is this...Gary I wouldn't change one thing, I would do it all over again in a heartbeat never looking back never changing one thing one bump or pothole. I love you heart and sole, inside and out forever and for always you Gary Paul are my one and only." Gary he loved supporting Michael in his training at the Armory in Jupiter Fl. Michael trained and competed in NAGA & COPA Tournaments and Gary and Deborah were always supporting Michael in his goals, traveling all over Florida as Michael competed untill Michael got sick in Nov 2011. Gary loved to be outdoors; doing yard work he loved cutting the grass even if it was in the evening you could see him out in is yard on his riding mower with the mover lights, lighting up the yard for him to cut. He loved tending to his Rock Garden he & Deborah built together. Gary loved being on the water in his Open Fisherman and when not on the water you might see him on the road on his “RED” Big Dog Motorcycle. A sports fan, Gary loved to go to NASCAR races around the country with Debbie and his son’s cheering on his driver #48 Jimmy Johnson. Gary cheered on all the Detroit teams and shared a love with his son's for The Boston College Eagles Football Team and you could always Gary Jonathan and Michael watching and cheering on the New England Patriots. Gary enjoyed restoring “treasures” and then entering them into car shows, Most of all, Gary loved spending time with his beloved family, in the evenings playing catch with Michael or tinkering on car projects with his son's Jonathan & Michael, or taking family walks around his neighborhood after dinner. On November 22, 2011 Gary faced his greatest challenge with Michael’s diagnosis of cancer, the family walked Michael through many procedures and received support from the NHL Florida Panthers and Duffy’s Sports Grill. Gary had such appreciation for their support he was torn between routing for his beloved Red Wings or his new hero’s the NHL Florida Panthers. Gary had a new appreciation and love for his family as they enjoyed New England vacations, trips to Orlando and NHL Florida Panther hockey games. Gary’s life ended, Friday April 20th, 2012. Gary leaves behind his Devoted and Loving wife, Deborah, their two son’s Jonathan Gates 26 years old of Jupiter, Fl and Michael Gary Kalisz 14 years old of Jupiter, Fl. His 3, four (4) legged faithful and devoted children; Wookie, Turbo and Starr. Brother; Stanley Kalisz, aunts, uncles,and several cousins and numerous friends. Gary was preceded in Death by his loving father Stanley Kalisz who died in 1994.
