Edward William Gizdich

Edward William Gizdich (Ed), age 92, passed away at his home in Napa on September 12, 2020 due to an unexpected illness.  Edward is survived by his wife, Joanne Kaelin Gizdich; daughters, Patricia Power, Nancy Gizdich and Cathy Felipe; grandson, Alex Power and brother, Jack. Edward was predeceased by his parents, Jerome and Anna Gizdich; stepmother, Lenca; siblings, Jerry, Mary, Frances and Ted; and son-in-law, Joe Felipe. 

Edward was a native Californian born in Watsonville and raised in Oakland. He graduated from Fremont High School in 1946 where he excelled at math and baseball. Ed enlisted in the armed forces in May of 1947 and served at Fort Ord (CA), the Aleutian Islands (AK) and Fort Lewis (WA). It was in Washington where he met his future wife, Joanne Kaelin. After his honorable discharge in November 1948, Edward and Joanne married on February 03, 1951. They were excitedly anticipating the celebration of their 70th wedding anniversary next year.

The married couple moved to Napa in 1979 and built a home at the Silverado Country Club where they resided for sixteen years until Ed retired. He often mentioned how he would look forward to coming home after work because he could golf every night before dinner. Ed and Joanne moved to the Napa Yacht Club in 1997, where he liked getting up every day to feed the birds and tend to his garden, often bringing in a beautiful rose for his wife.

Ed began his career as an electrician in 1949 and over the course of 40 years he became knowledgeable in all phases of the electrical construction industry. Ed managed projects around the Bay Area including SFO International Airport, the Oakland Coliseum, Highland Hospital and he also installed fiber optic cable at the ABC news station in San Francisco. Many of his employers expressed the highest regards for his ability and character – his honesty and integrity were surpassed by none. After he retired in 1991, he went on to obtain a real estate license and enjoyed taking cruises and trips to Hawaii and Lake Tahoe. A lifetime Oakland A’s and Raider’s fan, he rarely missed a game or a major golf tournament.

Ed was described as one of a kind, the real deal in an increasingly artificial world. A private, kind and caring man, his family was his life. He loved and admired his wife and three daughters, and adored his grandson, who shared his love of cars, sports and video games. Alex would come to visit with his dog Oliver, who quickly learned grandpa was the soft touch and waited by the door for him to come home with an In-N-Out puppy burger. His family can’t believe he has left this earth. All they wanted was more time with him, and already miss him so much.  At Ed’s request, his family will hold a private memorial.

Condolences and words of sympathy may be sent to the family online at www.tulocaycemetery.org

If you would like to make a donation in Ed’s honor, please donate to either the Napa Food Bank or Napa Humane Society. Ed frequently bought meals for the homeless and also rescued multiple animals across his life, often bringing them home to stay.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Edward William Gizdich, please visit our floral store.