Edward L. Kazlauskas

Edward L. Kazlauskas Sr., 86, of Dowagiac, MI, passed away on Monday, June 22, 2015 at Borgess Lee Memorial Hospital in Dowagiac, MI. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 12:00 PM on Thursday, June 25, 2015 at Clark Chapel, 405 Center Street, Dowagiac.  Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery in Dowagiac. Friends may visit with the family from 10:00 AM Thursday until the time of the service at the funeral home.  Memorial donations may be made to Spinal Muscular Atrophy research in memory of his great-granddaughter Maggie Sue.  Those wishing to sign Ed’s Memory Book online may do so at www.clarkch.com.  Ed was born October 23, 1928 in Chicago to Anton & Caroline (Bruzas) Kazlauskas.  On June 20, 1953, he married the former Barbara Ausra in Dowagiac.  Ed retired as a design engineer from Benton Harbor engineering in 1990.  He also owned and operated, with his wife Barbara-the Cobert Lake Bar in Edwardsburg, and later The Cottage Tavern in Dowagiac-which they operated for 19 years.  In his free time, Ed enjoyed breeding and raising champion Arabian Horses at his farm, polka dancing, bowling, horseshoes, and rooting for his favorite sports teams-Notre Dame, University of  Michigan, Michigan State, Chicago Bears & the Detroit Lions.   Ed is survived by his wife Barbara; his children-Ed (Sue) Kazlauskas, Sandi (Dale) Wiemuth, Janie (Andy) Reifenberg, all of Dowagiac, Barbi Kazlauskas and her special friend Frank-of St. Joseph; four grandchildren-Melissa (Jon) Swingle, Jim (Mindie) Kazlauskas, Kaylan Wiemuth, Laura (Marc) Messina; five great-grandchildren-Alyson, Aidan, Julian, Benny & Josie; his brother-in-law Robert Ausra & his sister-in-law JoAnn Ausra, both  of Dowagiac; and his canine companion Sammie.  He was preceded in death by his great-granddaughter Maggie Sue Kazlauskas on June 11, 2011, and his brother Willie Kazlauskas during World War II in 1941 when he went down with the USS Borie in the North Sea.