GUZIK, Dennis Lee

Mohave Daily News, Mohave Valley, AZ - Published in Mohave Daily News Online from April 22 to April 29, 2012 - Dennis Lee Guzik, 62, an 8-year resident of Bullhead City, Ariz., died peacefully at home on Thursday, April 19, 2012, after fighting a two year battle with lung cancer. He was born March 17, 1950, in Chicago, Illinois, to Edward and Jeanne Guzik. Dennis grew up in Anaheim, Calif., and was one of the first guests' at Disneyland when it first opened. He attended the Elsinore Naval and Military School in Lake Elsinore, Calif., for two years of middle school and two years of High School (in 2002 the Alumni had a reunion at the old unoccupied school). After high school, Dennis enlisted in the Army, and was deployed to Vietnam, where he proudly served as part of the 75th Rangers. Upon leaving the military, his mechanic skills served him well working for others, running his own successful business, and teaching Auto Mechanics at Fullerton Community College. Dennis was fascinated with Native American history, anything Egyptian, UFOs, Holocaust history and Sherlock Holmes, to name a few of his interests. His life was a continual quest for learning. His hobbies included model railroading and gold prospecting. He loved playing guitar, computer games and dominoes, gardening and landscaping. His faith grew stronger when he was diagnosed with acute pancreatitis four years ago, and then terminal lung cancer two years ago. He was an inspiration to all around him because of his faith in God, his gratitude of all he had, and his love for life even under the worst conditions. Our hearts are breaking because we miss him; but we rejoice that he has entered his eternal home. He is survived by a wife, JoAnn, with whom he shared 20 wonderful years; four children, Brian Guzik and Jennifer Clayton, and stepdaughters, Carla Burns and April Scott; brother, Don Doveatt of Calif.; three grandchildren, Lily, Hope, and Noah Clayton, and great-grandson, Logan Clayton, all of Colorado. A viewing will be held at 10:00 a.m. with a service following immediately at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday April, 24, 2012, at Desert Lawn Funeral Home & Memorial Gardens, 9250 South Rancho Lane, Mohave Valley, Ariz. A military graveside service will immediately follow at Desert Lawn. In lieu of flowers, donations would be appreciated sent in Dennis' memory to Vietnam Veterans of America, 8605 Cameron St., Silver Springs, MD 20910 or www.vva.org.