John Nowak was born on March 9th, 1947 in Hammond, Indiana, and peacefully passed away surrounded by friends and family on June 24, 2026 at Rose Arbor. 

He was a 1965 graduate of Loy Norrix High School and was a record holding athlete in Football and Swimming. He also attended Ferris State pursing a business degree. In the 70’s, in Kalamazoo, John was the business manager for Wayside West and moved on to become an entrepreneur establishing his own bars / entertainment venues – which included The Final Curtain, Big Daddy’s and The Sports Forum. John was an avid golfer along with enjoying many years of boating on his 47’ Chris Craft “The Beefeater” in Saugatuck, in the 80’s and 90’s where he was an active contributor in local events including officiating in the off shore power boat races and Saugatuck’s Venetian Festivals where he and his close friends/crew proudly managed to acquire several first-place awards with his creative portrayals of the various themed events. In retirement, his love of animals took him to the Kalamazoo Humane Society where he was a weekly volunteer. 

John is survived by his younger brother Greg and his wife Jeanne’ Gates-Nowak, and his lifelong best friends, Joe and Carol McNally and their beloved family, along Mike Brooks. Donations can be made on his behalf to the Kalamazoo Humane Society or the Kalamazoo Republican Party.