Edmund Anthony Pakulski, 81, of Rockspring Road, died Saturday in Ebeid Hospice Residence, Sylvania.
He was born at home in Toledo's Lagrinka section on March 14, 1931 to Polish immigrants Thomas and Helen (Sadowski) Pakulski. He retired in 1985 from the Jeep Corp. He took great pride in having been entrusted by his employer with driving a mid-1970s model of the Jeep Wagoneer on a test run to Reno, Nev. Earlier, he worked 15 years as an assembler at the former McKesson Appliance Co., Ashland Avenue.
He loved to regale family members with stories of his days as a taxi driver amid the illegal gambling joints and after-hours clubs of early post-war Toledo and travels in retirement to his mother's Wielkopolska village of Skulsk, and other regions of Poland. He continued until his death to correspond with friends and family members met on his Poland trips.
He often reminisced about his many summertime road trips to Florida in the 1960s and 1970s, when he would pack five kids, occasional neighbors, and a trove of luggage into older-model cars lacking air conditioning.
He was preceded in death by his parents; wife, Beverly (LaLonde); son, Greg; devoted sister, Irene Stack; and brothers, Ted and Melvin.
He is survived by his wife of 45 years, Carita (Demski); sons, Gary and Jeffrey (Lori); daughters, Debbie (Dave) Tomsic, Cheryl (John) Maly; and Jacqueline (Doug) Hafner; eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Grandchildren are Laura (Andy) Marckel, Steve and Dustin Burden, Bev (Darrin) Meyer, Jenny Maly, Tyler and Danielle Hafner, and Andrew Pakulski.
The family will receive guests Thursday, September 6, 2012 from 2:00 – 8:00 p.m. in the Newcomer Funeral Home, 4752 Heatherdowns Blvd., Toledo (419-381-1900), where a Rosary will be recited at 7:00 p.m. The Funeral mass will be held Friday, September 7, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. in the Queen of the Most Holy Rosary Cathedral (Please meet directly at the Cathedral Friday morning). Burial will be in Resurrection Cemetery.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Ebeid Hospice for their care and compassion in Ed's last days.