Joseph M. Zych of Schererville passed to eternal glory on 08-31-2018. He leaves to cherish his memory his devoted wife Diane; his adored sons Michael (Angelica) and Dr. Daniel (Stephanie); and, the source of his greatest joy, his precious grandchildren, Aaron, Neven, Daniela, and Maksim. Dear family members also include sisters-in-law Ruth (Nicholas) Ranich and Dr. Marion (Dennis) Hoyda, and brother-in-law Danilo (late Helen) in addition to a host of nieces and nephews.Joe was born in 1945 in East Chicago where he made his home with his parents, Helen and Barney Zych, and sisters (late) Barbara and Joni. After attending Saint Francis Elementary School, he became a proud Washington High School Senator where he played on the varsity basketball team and was named the best looking senior in his graduating class. He then attended Montana State University on a full athletic scholarship and where, once again, he was named the best looking male student on campus.Although Joe was blessed with physical grace and beauty, his greatest beauty was within. He was the personification of all that is good and kind and honorable. He never failed to exhibit the epitome of good manners and abided by a personal code of conduct that mandated he place the needs of others above his own. On his death bed and unable to open his eyes, he heard the attending nurse sneeze. Concerned, he asked, \”Are you alright?\” That was Joe to the very end.Joe's only objective in life was to bring joy and contentment to his loved ones. No task was too large or too small in this regard. He constructed the home in which his sons were raised supplying the manual labor for the major portion of the home's completion. He served as general contractor for the homes he built for his sons and their families. He fixed virtually everything and anything using an innate ingenuity that was awe-inspiring. You presented Joe with a problem; he inevitably developed a solution. Joe was ecstatic at the birth of both sons. Who could have possibly imagined that this joy would be, could be, compounded by the birth of each grandchild? And, yet it was. With them all he had infinite patience and love. They quickly learned that Grandpa lived by the axiom: your wish is his command which in turn added to Diane's weekly shopping list to purchase each child's favorite foods and treats. Needless to say there was also a wide range of toys stocked in the \”magic drawer\” or \”magic closet.\”The absolute love of his life was his wife Diane. They met while still in high school with Joe always claiming it was love at first sight. Once in a college Shakespeare class, the concept of such love was being roundly dismissed. Joe insisted that such love was possible because he had experienced it. He never complained about assisting Diane with dozens and dozens of crafts projects. He overlooked the ever-present glitter and the strings of glue from the hot glue gun that floated precariously in the air. He would paint, drill, varnish, nail, or glue to assist her on her latest project. He did it with patience. He did it with love. He did it because it gave her joy. Besides assisting Diane with her projects, Joe served as an assistant commissioner for youth basketball for ten years because his sons loved the sport. Later, he coached Daniel's baseball team for a number of years while, at the same time, learning how to build and fly radio-controlled model airplanes, Michael's latest interest.Somehow he managed to develop a professional resume that included teaching physics and natural science, serving as a project engineer at Inland Steel, and as an environmental engineer with Keter Consultants.Just prior to his death, he was planning a 50th wedding anniversary to his marriage to Diane. Unfortunately, it was not meant to be. Illness ravaged his physical body leaving him frail and weak, but it never weakened his passion for life. He was as tall in death as he was in life. He never complained, always assumed a positive attitude and found pleasure in everyday, mundane activities. So it is with profound sorrow that I say, \”Goodbye, my forever love, my faithful companion and friend. May God grant you the peace and serenity you so richly deserve. I look forward to the day when we are together again, creating projects and wiping away glitter.\”A celebration of life service will be conducted to share memories and momentos of Joe's extraordinary life. He left us rich with innumerable memories of his boundless love and devotion. These will live on forever. In that respect, Joe truly has the right to declare, \”Death, be not proud.\”