Lewis Costan

COSTAN, Lewis age 90 and 3/4, died Labor Day, Monday, September 4, at Lincoln Park Assisted Living. A native of Cleveland, he graduated from East Tech High School with his favorite classmate Olympian Jesse Owens. After attending Fenn College, he served as an aircraft mechanic in the Army Air Corps during WWII, then received the strange assignment of guarding the Miami Beach coast. A recent History Channel documentary confirmed for his family that this was indeed a legitimate military concern. Lew then worked as a welder and production control manager for Lincoln Electric for 42 years. He was a proud of his Romanian ethnic heritage and served Most Holy Trinity Church in various leadership roles. As president of the Canician Club, a Cleveland-area widows and widower’s fellowship, he brought together hundreds of grieving adults and children for support and social activities. An avid gardener, he was recognized for his skill in growing tomatoes from seed. He maintained a life long love of music and dancing: The photo caption in his high school yearbook reads, “Going to the Dance?” and he especially enjoyed having a full dance card for the tango and other Latin dances at the Springdale Ballroom on Cleveland’s west side. Overcoming an early life fear of flying, he traveled the world, his favorite destinations being Bora Bora and mainland China. Preceded in death by his wife Victoria in 1959, he is survived by his daughter, Vicki and her husband Ray Braun of Oakwood; brother-in-law and sister-in-law Pete and Virginia Borza of Fairview Park, OH; niece and nephew Mary Ann Lauran and Stephan Lauran of Detroit; five honorary grandchildren: Laura Bertleff (Cincinnati); Greg Bertleff (Boston) and Michael, Jack and Max Gallenstein of Kettering. His family thanks everyone at Lincoln Park Assisted Living for their care and concern as Parkinson’s disease slowed but did not deter him. Ken and his rehab team helped Lew talk and eat after he was told he would never do either again four years ago. He received the ultimate in medical care and compassion from Ingrid Brown, DO, a physician whose respect for this flirty geriatric patient never wavered. Finally thanks to Anita, Karen, Rhonda and Vicki; Aaron, Angelina, Crystal, Elaine, Jill, Jon Mark, Louie the Greek, Les, Llana, Mark, Michael, Philip, Rich, Sarah, Sharon Pennsylvania, et al for offering late night snacks and conversation for his soul. Visitation will be from 5-8:00 PM on Friday, September 8, 2006 at the Routsong Funeral Home, 6 Oakwood Avenue at Irving. Lewis will be remembered at a service on Saturday, September 9, 2006 at 11:00 AM. The burial will be private. Lew’s request was that any memorial contributions be directed to the Oak Tree Corner Program for Grieving Children, 2312 Far Hills Ave., Dayton, OH 45419. Condolences may be sent to the funeral home’s website, via the guestbook, at www.routsong.com

Funeral Home:
Kettering Routsong Funeral Home
2100 E. Stroop Rd.
Kettering, OH
US 45429