In loving memory of Michael Edward Sadowski. Michael was born on November 14, 1946 in Indianapolis, IN. He passed peacefully on June 21, 2022 in Leander, TX at age 75.
Michael and Nancy were married on May 25, 1968, and shared 54 years together. He is survived by his wife Nancy, son Justin Sadowski (wife Lisa) and their sons Tyler and Ryan, and daughter Brittany Kendel (husband AJ) and their daughter Emme. He is also survived by his brothers and sisters, John Sadowski (Ana), Anne Falk (Larry), Jody Collins (Michael), and Ed Sadowski, and a host of nieces, nephews, and other relatives.
As a young man Michael served as SP5 in the 575th Ordnance Company in Fischback, Germany from 1968-1971. Upon returning home, he completed his education at the University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee with a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration. He began his retailing career at Lazarus Department Stores in Columbus, OH. He traveled the world with various retailers, and retired from Dillard's Department Stores as a Divisional Merchandise Manager.
Michael was a loving and devoted father. He coached baseball, watched swim meets, attended dance recitals, played tennis, ice skated, biked, ran, swam and dove. His fun and adventurous nature left a lasting impact on his children and all those around him.
In more recent years, Michael enjoyed sports, gardening, the pool, travel, the ocean, music, and most especially playing with his three grandchildren.
Michael was a very kind and loving man, and he will be missed deeply.
Please click here to view a photo album of Michael throughout his life.
Obstacles - Justin
One night while I was in high school, our family was having dinner together, and each of us was sharing some things about their day as we often did. I recounted a story about how I had gone to lunch off-campus with some friends, and we were annoyed because on the way to lunch there was a guy in front of us at a stoplight who had gotten out of his car and was very slowly pushing the car off the road and into a parking lot. The discussion about the story from there went something like this:
Dad: Wow, yeah that sounds pretty annoying.
Justin: Yeah
Dad: So there were four of you in this car heading to lunch?
Justin: Yeah
(At this point I appreciated the recognition that so many of us were inconvenienced by this guy.)
Dad: Four big, strong guys, huh?
(This was the point where I started to suspect that this line of questioning may not be entirely driven by sympathy for my annoyance.)
Justin: Heh, yeah I guess so...
Dad: Well, did you think that maybe a couple of you could have helped the guy push his car out of the way?
At that point I was silent, because no, it had not occurred to me that we could help this guy out. It really made a significant impact on me because I realized how incorrectly I had handled the situation. I think situations like this come up a lot in life - someone in a difficult situation can be an inconvenience to you, and you can focus on how annoying that is, or you can think about whether you could take some action to help them out. I've strived to take the latter path whenever possible, and I greatly appreciate the nudge that Dad provided to help me see the advantages of that approach.
Children -
Justin
One day not long after I graduated from college, I was talking to Mom and Dad, and I shared that I appreciated and had some amount of guilt for how much they had given to me. Many of my friends started their adult lives with a lot of student debt, but I did not, because my parents had been so generous to pay for my schooling. Dad's response is something I'll never forget: "Son, we chose to bring you into this world. You had no choice in this matter. Life can be hard, and it was our decision that led to your life. For that, we owe you as much as we can possibly give you." That really took me aback, because it was the opposite of the attitude that I believe so many parents have. His caring and generosity has made an incredible impact on my life, and I try to carry this type of thinking forward with my sons.
Dad -
Brittany
My dad was a wonderful father. He always encouraged my creativity and was endlessly supportive of me. From hanging the artwork in my apartment to putting together furniture to washing my car, I could depend on him for so many things. I inherited his fondness for expressing his thoughts through writing. I got to know a different side of my dad through the letters he wrote me. He had a deep, poetic appreciation of the world and his role as a father that I don't think the outside world often knew.
He was a great father, but nothing brought me more joy than seeing my dad become a grandpa. My daughter Emme adored him, and he adored her. They had a unique bond that was beautiful to witness. When I think of them together, I remember the sound of laughter. My dad indulged her every whim and encouraged every imaginative idea she had. I would go to my parents' house for dinner, or to the pool with them for the afternoon, knowing my dad would be Emme's playmate for hours. I would relax in the sun, watching my dad be a shark, then a mermaid, then a dolphin, then clapping for every jump from the side of the pool Emme wanted to show him. I would enjoy a glass of wine with my mom and tell her about my day while Grandpa and Emme ran through the house, smiles beaming from their faces, being whatever Emme had dreamed up for them to be.
For two years of her life, my parents took care of Emme during the day. She learned so much from both of them during that time. As Emme has gotten older, there have been countless times that I have started to explain something, only to be told, "Oh yeah– Grandpa showed me..." or "I know– Grandpa told me..." It always brings a smile to my face. I love that he was the one who introduced her to so much.
One time while doing yardwork, my dad found a baby turtle that had wandered away from the pond near their house. Emme did not have a pet at the time, and she was desperate for one. Knowing how much she loved animals, my dad caught the turtle and created a makeshift aquarium out of a plastic tub and some rocks. It is a perfect example of how my dad thought about Emme in everything he did and would have done anything for her. Her happiness was always foremost in his mind.
My biggest comfort, now that my dad has passed, is the legacy he left with Emme. I wish we had more time– I think everyone always hopes for just a little more time– but I know that her memories, as well as mine, are full of the joy and love she shared with her grandpa. In that way, he will never truly be gone.
