John A. ZABOWSKI

ZABOWSKI John A. John A. Zabowski, born on March 2, 1924, passed away on October 17, 2010, at Hospice of Northwest Ohio in Toledo. Born in Winooski, Vermont, he was the youngest of four children of grocery store owner Peter Zabowski and wife, Rose. After high school in Swanton, Vermont, John attended St. Michael's College, Winooski, Vermont, before moving to Pittsfield, Massachusetts. He was inducted into the Army Air Corps in January, 1943 at Fort Devens, Mass., graduated from radio school and became a radio operator on troop transport planes. John served in New Guinea, the Philippines, Okinawa, and was on detached service in Iwo Jima preparing to drop paratroopers in Japan just before that nation surrendered. He was discharged in November, 1945 as a staff sergeant. John enrolled at Bowling Green State University in 1946. He married Irma Eileen Armstrong in 1947. After graduation, they moved to Gas City Indiana where John was employed by Owens-Illinois, Inc. as plant newspaper editor and photographer in 1950. Four years later the family transferred to Toledo when John was promoted to the corporate advertising department as creative specialist. One of his many assignments, a motion picture on eye safety won a national award in 1957. He was promoted to manager of the Kimble Division in 1961 but left in 1963 to become a partner in a local advertising firm. He returned to Owens-Illinois in 1965 to head the Creative Services group of the Glass Container Division. John joined the Corporate Advertising Department as Marketing Communications Manager for the Closure Plastics and International Divisions in 1972. He took early retirement in 1985, continuing to work as a consultant, for a time, as sales manager for Gilbert Mail Service. John was president of the Advertising Club of Toledo in 1966, served on its Board of Governors many years and was awarded a Silver Medal as Advertising Man of the Year in 1967. He was active in the community as Boy Scout committeeman, coaching youth baseball, working with Cystic Fibrosis, Family Service and United Way and most recently, The Whitehouse Library. He was a member of O-I's Golden Emblem Club. John was commander of Toledo Post # 335 of the American Legion in 1993; served as adjutant since 1998; and edited its newsletter for many years. John was a former member of Riverby Hills Golf Club and took part in Toledo Post golf outings for many years. John recently completed research of the origins of the Coca-Cola bottle design and authored the foreword for the book entitled The Man Behind the Bottle by Norman L. Dean. John and Irma observed a 50th wedding anniversary with a trip to Hawaii in 1997 and a dinner hosted by their children. John was predeceased by his wife and a son, Michael. Family was most important to John and survivors include: sons, Dan, Gainesville, Florida, John (Sue (deceased)), Obee Road, Chris (Connie), Alexandria, Virginia, Joe (Sue), Waterville; daughter Jean M. Pennell (Robert Ballmer), Maumee; grandchildren, Jeff Zabowski, Jonathan Zabowski, Wren Zabowski, Lafe Zabowski, Erin Pennell, Hope Pennell, Lisa Pennell, Alex Zabowski, Adam Zabowski, Chelsea Zabowski, Celeste Zabowski, Rebecca Lamour and great grandson, Alex Kingston Zabowski. A Celebration of John's Life will be held Thursday, October 21, 2010, at 7:00pm. at the Peinert Funeral Home, Whitehouse, OH. Visitation will begin at 6:00 p.m. until the time of service. The family wishes to express their deep gratitude for the care and treatment John received at Elizabeth Scott Memorial and Hospice of Northwest Ohio. In lieu of flowers, please make a contribution to Hospice of Northwest Ohio. peinertfuneralhome.com