Obituary for Donald Joseph Zalud
Donald Joseph Zalud was born on June 10, 1928. His parents were Joseph and Mamie Zalud, who moved to Cleveland early last century.
Don graduated from Shaw High School in Cleveland. He continued to meet with his Shaw High classmates each year until the present. Don received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Denison University, in Granville, and was a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity there. After graduation, Don received a Master’s Degree from Western Reserve University, and worked on his doctoral thesis at UCLA. He married his wife Shirley in 1954. They were married for 58 wonderful years, and he forged ahead with his life after Shirley died in 2012 with grace, dignity and joie de vivre.
Don and Shirley went to Alaska in the late 1950’s and taught the Eskimos for two years on King Island, isolated in the windswept Bering Strait. The Island was completely cut off from the outside world, from October through June. There were 93 Eskimos on the island, a priest, and Shirley and Don. So, they were teachers, and the “doctors” for the whole island. They lived on a diet of walrus, seals, puffins, canned soup and some occasional blueberries. They melted snow for water and used “honey buckets” as needed. They then worked on Navajo Indian reservations in the southwestern United States for two years.
Then, came children- Eric Larson was born first, received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University and his Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt University. Twins Lisa Joy (n/k/a Lisa Grossman) and Lee Donald came next. Lisa graduated from Thiel College with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and from Kent State University with a Masters of Education. Lee graduated from Bethany College with a Bachelor of Science degree and with an M.D. from the Medical College of Ohio. Todd was born last, and graduated from Bethany College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and mastered in Engineering at Cleveland State University. Don was a firm believer in his children’s educations, and fostered them, and prodded them, all their lives. His children’s spouses and his grandchildren were all a wonderful part of his life and had a special place in his heart: Eric’s wife Amanda, and their children Jake and Macy, Lee’s wife Christine and their children Ashley and Merritt, Lisa’s husband Bob Grossman and their children Brett and Bryce, and Todd’s wife Shelley and their children Natalie and Adrian.
After returning from the Southwest, Don worked as a principal at Worden Elementary School in Wickliffe for almost thirty years. He loved his job there. He loved the teachers with whom he worked, the students, and the overall educational process. He starred each year in a faculty play of You Are A Good Man Charlie Brown - he played Charlie Brown. He loved driving his orange Corvette to school every day as the principal. He loved making the gym available to his children and their friends on the weekends for pickup basketball games. He was very proud that for every one of those almost thirty years, he had perfect attendance, other than the days that his children were born.
So much love.... his four children, their spouses, his eight grandchildren and his dear wife Shirley. He loved his home, that big white house on the hill with the wrap around veranda, where joyful events were convened for decades. He loved the annual family reunions that he and Shirley hosted for over 100 people every year, at their house. He loved the Swedish Glog parties that he and Shirley had at their house for years and years, at Christmas time (Shirley was Swedish). He loved having his children, and his grandchildren come to his home, hike in the woods, wade in the pond, sled ride down the big hill in the pasture, walk with him in the gardens, and share their hopes and their dreams. He was gracious, kind, gregarious, and radiated good cheer and warmth to everyone around him. He was always there for his children, and his grandchildren, whenever and wherever they needed him, during every phase of their lives. His home, up on that hill, was filled with so much warmth, and so much love, that words cannot describe it. He may be gone, but his love, and his spirit, and his laughter and bon homie, live on, for his children, their spouses, his grandchildren, friends, and relatives.
There will be a private family service next week. There will be a memorial service open to all family and friends on June 12, 2021, at The Pavilion (outdoors), 2785 SOM Center Road, Hunting Valley, Ohio at 1:00 p.m. That service will be immediately followed by a reception at the Cleveland Racquet Club, 29825 Chagrin Blvd. in Pepper Pike (indoor/outdoor). All will be welcome to both of these events.
Any donations may be made in the name of Donald Joseph Zalud to: The Kidney Foundation of Ohio, 2831 Prospect Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115 or www.kfohio.org.
Arrangements are entrusted to McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Homes in Willoughby and Mentor.
To leave condolences for the family, visit www.MCVfuneralhomes.com.
Don graduated from Shaw High School in Cleveland. He continued to meet with his Shaw High classmates each year until the present. Don received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Denison University, in Granville, and was a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity there. After graduation, Don received a Master’s Degree from Western Reserve University, and worked on his doctoral thesis at UCLA. He married his wife Shirley in 1954. They were married for 58 wonderful years, and he forged ahead with his life after Shirley died in 2012 with grace, dignity and joie de vivre.
Don and Shirley went to Alaska in the late 1950’s and taught the Eskimos for two years on King Island, isolated in the windswept Bering Strait. The Island was completely cut off from the outside world, from October through June. There were 93 Eskimos on the island, a priest, and Shirley and Don. So, they were teachers, and the “doctors” for the whole island. They lived on a diet of walrus, seals, puffins, canned soup and some occasional blueberries. They melted snow for water and used “honey buckets” as needed. They then worked on Navajo Indian reservations in the southwestern United States for two years.
Then, came children- Eric Larson was born first, received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Miami University and his Juris Doctorate from Vanderbilt University. Twins Lisa Joy (n/k/a Lisa Grossman) and Lee Donald came next. Lisa graduated from Thiel College with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and from Kent State University with a Masters of Education. Lee graduated from Bethany College with a Bachelor of Science degree and with an M.D. from the Medical College of Ohio. Todd was born last, and graduated from Bethany College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and mastered in Engineering at Cleveland State University. Don was a firm believer in his children’s educations, and fostered them, and prodded them, all their lives. His children’s spouses and his grandchildren were all a wonderful part of his life and had a special place in his heart: Eric’s wife Amanda, and their children Jake and Macy, Lee’s wife Christine and their children Ashley and Merritt, Lisa’s husband Bob Grossman and their children Brett and Bryce, and Todd’s wife Shelley and their children Natalie and Adrian.
After returning from the Southwest, Don worked as a principal at Worden Elementary School in Wickliffe for almost thirty years. He loved his job there. He loved the teachers with whom he worked, the students, and the overall educational process. He starred each year in a faculty play of You Are A Good Man Charlie Brown - he played Charlie Brown. He loved driving his orange Corvette to school every day as the principal. He loved making the gym available to his children and their friends on the weekends for pickup basketball games. He was very proud that for every one of those almost thirty years, he had perfect attendance, other than the days that his children were born.
So much love.... his four children, their spouses, his eight grandchildren and his dear wife Shirley. He loved his home, that big white house on the hill with the wrap around veranda, where joyful events were convened for decades. He loved the annual family reunions that he and Shirley hosted for over 100 people every year, at their house. He loved the Swedish Glog parties that he and Shirley had at their house for years and years, at Christmas time (Shirley was Swedish). He loved having his children, and his grandchildren come to his home, hike in the woods, wade in the pond, sled ride down the big hill in the pasture, walk with him in the gardens, and share their hopes and their dreams. He was gracious, kind, gregarious, and radiated good cheer and warmth to everyone around him. He was always there for his children, and his grandchildren, whenever and wherever they needed him, during every phase of their lives. His home, up on that hill, was filled with so much warmth, and so much love, that words cannot describe it. He may be gone, but his love, and his spirit, and his laughter and bon homie, live on, for his children, their spouses, his grandchildren, friends, and relatives.
There will be a private family service next week. There will be a memorial service open to all family and friends on June 12, 2021, at The Pavilion (outdoors), 2785 SOM Center Road, Hunting Valley, Ohio at 1:00 p.m. That service will be immediately followed by a reception at the Cleveland Racquet Club, 29825 Chagrin Blvd. in Pepper Pike (indoor/outdoor). All will be welcome to both of these events.
Any donations may be made in the name of Donald Joseph Zalud to: The Kidney Foundation of Ohio, 2831 Prospect Ave., Cleveland, OH 44115 or www.kfohio.org.
Arrangements are entrusted to McMahon-Coyne-Vitantonio Funeral Homes in Willoughby and Mentor.
To leave condolences for the family, visit www.MCVfuneralhomes.com.