August Walchak Jr

August Martin Walchak, Jr. of Franklin, TN passed away August 13, 2023 at Alive Hospice in Nashville, TN. He was born July 2, 1942 in Plainfield, NJ to August M. Walchak, Sr. and Mary Simon Walchak. He is survived by his wife of 33 years, Connie Lipscomb, three daughters, Cathy Wynn Shelton (Scott) of Hoover, AL, Claire Ann Meador of Bowling Green, KY and Patty Walchak Wright (Chris) of Nashville, TN; his sister, Suzanne Walchak Dowd, six grandchildren and four great grandsons. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Alfred Walchak and Martin Walchak.
Gus, as he was known to family and friends, graduated from Abraham Clark High School in Roselle, NJ in 1960 and entered the U. S. Air Force that same year. After serving his country for 4 years, he returned to civilian life and entered the University of Southern Mississippi (USM) with his brother, Al in 1964. He earned a BS in marketing and an MBA in finance from USM, and began a career in retail and distribution management. Working first with Shainbergs in Memphis, TN, he then moved to Scottsville, KY with Dollar General Stores. While in Scottsville, he was responsible for the automation of their distribution centers as well as overseeing their risk management and corporate security. The skills he honed there later led to a position with IBM on their industry education team. Gus always had plans and goals. One was to retire at 55 and the other was to finish his career by teaching. He fulfilled both of those goals with IBM.
In retirement, Gus kept busy in the yard and doing home projects. From building decks, to furniture, to a safe room, he was happiest using tools and climbing ladders. While Gus was a planner and doer, he also loved his leisure. He "hammock-ed" for recreation and loved spending time at the lake or the beach. He enjoyed travel, visiting family and friends, and finding and photographing covered bridges and light houses. In spite of jokes about his frugality, Gus was generous with friends and family. He will be greatly missed by those who loved him.
Expressions of sympathy may be made by donations to Alive Hospice, 1718 Patterson St., Nashville, TN 37203. A celebration of life will be held at a later date.