George Bachleda

George Bachleda completed his life’s journey on Friday, September 13, 2019 at the age of 96. He grew up in Detroit, the youngest of five siblings born to Paul Bachleda and Mary (Monko) Bachleda. He served his country with distinction in World War II completing 25 missions as a gunner on a B24 Bomber in the Eighth Air Force in the European theater. He often talked of the dangers faced and the goals achieved. He participated in D-Day and the Battle of Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, the Battle for the Rhineland and the Battle of Germany.
Upon returning to civilian life, he furthered his technical education and became a mechanical draftsman. He had a long career in the auto industry and his final and longest stretch was with the Chrysler Corporation. He married Helen Torgl in 1950, built a home in St. Clair Shores and helped raise four children who are all grateful for their wonderful starts in life. In the late 1950s, Helen and George built a second home on Higgins Lake and this became a central focus of family life that continues to this day. George made sure that everyone got all the fishing, swimming, water skiing, and snow skiing that they wanted and was no slouch himself in any of those departments.
Family meant everything to George.
In his retirement years, he continued to enjoy Higgins Lake and the vegetable garden at his home in St. Clair Shores. He continued to be the master mechanic his progeny could always turn to with their car issues. He and Helen also shared some other adventures with trips to Isle Royale National Park, the Grand Canyon National Park, the Caribbean, New Orleans, Quebec City, New York, New England and North Carolina.
Helen and George sold their beloved St. Clair Shores house in 2014 and moved to the Sentinel Pointe Retirement Community in Grand Rapids. In his final years, he was afflicted with dementia but enjoyed good physical health and his day-to-day life was peaceful and comfortable.
He is survived by his wife, Helen; his children, Stephen Bachleda (Kristine Campbell), Mary Kidwell Tobin (David Tobin), Frances Bachleda Skarritt (Kevin Skarritt), Paul Bachleda; grandchildren, Sarah, Jesse, Evan, Drew, Ben, George, Bernie, Bill, Cameron, Connor; great grandchildren, Aubree, Elmer, James, Ella and Kamila.
A green memorial service for the immediate family only will be on Friday, September 20, 2019. An open house to celebrate George’s life for friends and family will be held at Sentinel Pointe, 2900 Thornhills Ave. SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 on Sunday, September 29 from 2-5 pm.
Donations may be made to Spectrum Health Hospice at <u>https://give.spectrumhealth.org/hospice/donate</u> or by mail to: 750 Fuller Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, or to the Higgins Lake Foundation (which works to protect the lake’s ecological health) at https://higginslake-foundation.org/donate/ or by mail to: Higgins Lake Foundation, PO Box 753, Roscommon, MI 48653.