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Frank Kiszka
Born: 9/11/1928
Died: 4/28/2023
Age: 94
Community: Flushing, MI
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KISZKA, Frank - 94, of Flushing, MI, passed away on April 27th at his home.
Frank was born in Flint, Michigan on September 11, 1928 to George and Mary (Lanczak) Kiszka. He graduated from Flint Northern High School in 1946 and joined the Navy on November 3, 1948 where he served aboard the USS Columbus naval ship.
Upon being honorably discharged on September 15, 1952, he wooed his sweetheart Lillian Zalesak. They were wed on November 7, 1953 and enjoyed 70 wonderful years of marriage. During that time he worked as an electrician and owned his own electrical contracting company. Their first 24 years together were spent in Flint, MI where they were blessed with two daughters and a son. In 1977 they moved to Flushing, MI where they have lived ever since.
He is survived by his wife, Lillian Kiszka, whom he referred to as the best thing that ever happened to him in his life; his daughter Janelle and husband Mark Kevnick, their children Paige (great granddaughter Avery Cochran) and Sonia; his daughter Carolyn Kiszka; his son Kelly and wife Karen (Wilson), their children Joshua, Jacob, Veronica, and Samuel.
Frank has gifted the world with many wonderful legacies. Some of which are his very strong family values, an incredible work ethic, and a life spent in service of others. The one that brought him some of his greatest joy and led to his meeting the love of his life, his beautiful Lillian, was his gift of music and musical performance.
His mother noticed his musical gift by age six when he was able to play songs from the radio on his harmonica by ear. When Frank was ten, his parents bought him an accordion and he received lessons. By the age of twelve he was performing as a professional musician playing weddings and parties with the Eight Aces which later changed to the Bedrick Smeage Band. He left the band to join the Navy, rejoining them upon his return home. He continued playing with them for the next 19 years. Following that time, Frank formed his own band, the Czech Notes, with whom he performed until retiring nine years later.
As a pinnacle of his musical career, he received congressional recognition and was inducted into the Michigan Polka Hall of Fame in October of 1991.
His legacy as a musician continues through his son and grandsons. His son Kelly, performing as Papa Kiszka, is a vocalist and plays blues harmonica with various bands throughout mid-Michigan. His grandsons are three of the four band members of the Grammy Award winning, international rock band Greta Van Fleet; Josh (vocals), Jake (guitar), Sam (bass and keys).
Our family is so very thankful and blessed to have had such a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather as Frank in our lives.
Visitation 12-8pm Monday, May 1, 2023 at the Swartz Funeral Home, 1225 West Hill Road, Flint.
Contributions may be directed to musicares.org and savethemusic.org
Your condolences may be shared with the family at swartzfuneralhomeinc.com
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| Visitation |
| Date: |
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5/1/2023 |
| Time: |
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12:00 PM |
| Visitation 12-8pm Monday, May 1, 2023 at the Swartz Funeral Home, 1225 West Hill Road, Flint. |
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| Funeral Service |
| No Service |
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