Józef Gnida

Józef Gnida, age 91, of Toledo and formerly of Poland passed away Tuesday, June 24th, 2025, on his wedding anniversary, with his devoted wife of 63 years, Danuta, by his side. Józef was born in Kliszów, Poland to Tadeusz and Julia (Machniak) Gnida on March 25, 1934. Józef grew up during hard times in Poland, experiencing World War II firsthand. As a child, Józef, along with his mother, harbored a Jewish man on the family farm, saving his life from the Holocaust. The man was forever grateful to Józef and wrote him letters throughout his life. During Józef’s adult life in Poland, he worked for the postal service and helped on the family farm. Józef’s children immigrated to the US in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. He spent much of his later life traveling between the US and Poland, spending months visiting his beloved family in Ohio and Michigan. Józef loved to travel, going on several cruises with his family. He loved nature, particularly the Polish countryside and forests where he grew up. He also liked fishing, hunting with his son, riding his motorcycle and spending time with family. Józef was a loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather and will be dearly missed by all.

He was preceded in death by his parents and three siblings, Zofia (Ryszard) Babula, Henryk Gnida, Mieczyslaw (Teresa) Gnida. Jozef is survived by his wife, Danuta; children, Tadeusz (Shawn) Gnida and Teresa (Kenneth) Gall; grandchildren, Julia (Greg) Curtis, Dania Gnida, Joseph (Alexis) Gall, Amanda Gall, Tadeusz Gnida, and Jacob Gnida; and his great-grandchildren.

The family will be receiving friends in the Urbanski Funeral Home a Life Celebration Home 5055 Secor Rd Toledo, Ohio on Tuesday July 1, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., at which time the rosary will be recited. The funeral mass will take place at 12:00 p.m. at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Sylvania and will also be live streamed. Burial will follow at Toledo Memorial Park.

Funeral Mass Livestream: https://www.stjoesylvania.org/livestream

Polish version:

Józef Gnida, lat 91, z Toledo, a wczesniej z Polski, zmarl w wtorek 24 czerwca 2025 roku, w rocznice slubu, w otoczeniu ukochanej zony Danuty, z która przezyl 63 lata. Józef urodzil sie 25 marca 1934 roku w Kliszowie jako syn Tadeusza i Julii (Machniak) Gnidów. Dorastal w trudnych czasach w Polsce, doswiadczajac II wojny swiatowej. Jako dziecko, Józef z matka ukrywal zydowskiego mezczyzne na rodzinnej farmie, ratujac mu zycie przed Holokaustem. Mezczyzna byl mu za to na zawsze wdzieczny i pisal do niego listy przez cale zycie. W doroslym zyciu w Polsce Józef pracowal na poczcie i pomagal na rodzinnej farmie. Dzieci Józefa wyemigrowaly do USA pod koniec lat 80. i na poczatku lat 90. Spedzil wiele lat podrózujac miedzy USA a Polska, spedzajac miesiace na odwiedzaniu swojej ukochanej rodziny w Ohio i Michigan. Józef uwielbial podrózowac, odbywajac kilka rejsów cruise z rodzina. Kochal nature, zwlaszcza polska wies i lasy, gdzie dorastal. Lubil tez wedkarstwo, polowania z synem, jazde na motocyklu i spedzanie czasu z rodzina. Józef byl kochajacym mezem, ojcem, dziadkiem i pradziadkiem, bedzie go bardzo brakowalo wszystkim.

Poprzedzili go w smierci rodzice i troje rodzenstwa: Zofia (Ryszard) Babula, Henryk Gnida, Mieczyslaw (Teresa) Gnida. Józef pozostawia zone, Danute; dzieci, Tadeusza (Shawn) Gnide i Terese (Kenneth) Gall; wnuki, Julie (Greg) Curtis, Danie Gnida, Josepha (Alexis) Gall, Amande Gall, Tadeusza Gnide i Jacoba Gnide; oraz prawnuków.

Rodzina bedzie przyjmowac kondolencje w Urbanski Funeral Home, 5055 Secor Rd Toledo, Ohio, we wtorek 1 lipca 2025 roku, od godziny 9:00 do 11:00, po czym odmówiony zostanie rózaniec. Msza pogrzebowa odbedzie sie o godzinie 12:00 w kosciele katolickim sw. Józefa w Sylvania i bedzie transmitowana na zywo. Pochówek nastapi w Toledo Memorial Park.

Link do transmisji mszy pogrzebowej na zywo: https://www.stjoesylvania.org/livestream