Stephen J. Kolacz

Stephen J. Kolacz, 73, of Meadville went into the loving arms of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, Thursday, January 14, 2016 at the Marquette Hospice House. A stroke survivor in 2013, Steve declined in health this past year and was recently diagnosed with A.L.S. – Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

He was born February 17, 1942 in Lowell, MA a son of Edward C. and Claire Beaulieu Kolacz.  He married Julie Ann Sparks of Pleasantville September 3, 1994 and she survives.

Steve was very entrepreneurial, self-made and was a patented inventor.  He would be very focused to take on a task and then do it well, often without any formal training.  His career took many turns over the years.  In his early years, he was involved in two-way radio and TV repair before becoming a flight instructor in the Greater Boston, MA area.  He moved to Atlanta, GA in 1977 to begin flying corporate Learjets and becoming 1 of 6 FAA Designated Learjet examiners in the country. Steve enjoyed flying such notable people as Rosalind Carter and the Bee Gees.  When he retired from aviation, he got into tool and die work, then as a sales representative for tooling machines.  He most recently worked as a Pennsylvania State Constable specializing in mental health crisis transports throughout Northwest Pennsylvania and into Ohio.

Over the years, he enjoyed ham radio, flying remote controlled airplanes, and watching Fox News. He was an avid gun owner, a competitive shooter, and enjoyed reloading. He also enjoyed wine making.  He was a member of the Meadville, Black Ash and Sparta Sportsman Clubs and the National Rifle Association. Steve was passionate about his Christian faith and teaching the Bible. He holds membership in The United Methodist Church.

He is survived by his wife Julie of 21 years, two sons; Stephen J. Kolacz, Jr. and his wife Lisa of Brentwood, NH and John Kolacz of Meadville, PA, three step-children; Cheris Pearson and her husband Randy of Canton, GA, Christie Klosowski and her husband Butch of Marietta, GA and Craig Gagnon and his wife Robin of Abbeyville, SC, sixteen grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren and his beloved dog Bandit.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Todd Kolacz – his widow Shelly of Morganton, GA still survives and his sister, Edwina LaBarre of Epping, NH.

Calling hours will be Thursday, January 21st from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. at the Robert W. Waid Funeral Home, Inc., 581 Chestnut St., Meadville.

The funeral service will be Friday, January 22nd at 10:30 a.m. at Stone United Methodist Church, 956 S. Main Street, Meadville with the Rev. Joe Patterson, District Superintendent of the Erie Meadville District of the United Methodist Church, officiating.

Interment will be in Sunset Hill Memorial Gardens, Cranberry, PA.

The family suggests memorials be made to Hospice of Crawford County (for the Marquette Hospice House), 464 Pine Street, Meadville, PA 16335 or the National Rifle Association Foundation, P.O. Box 1546, Merrifield, VA 22116-9851.