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72 | SUN LAKES LIFESTYLES | JUNE 2024 | Friends we will miss Submit your Friends We Will Miss to sunlakesnews@yahoo.com. Please keep remembrances to 400 words and include one recent, high-resolution photo. John Dominic Kowalski passed away April 19 surrounded by his family. He was born in Detroit, Michigan on November 2, 1937, and lived there until about age 10 when his family moved to Fontana, CA. John was in the first graduating class at Fontana High School in 1955. He married his high school sweetheart, Dorothy "Dot" Kowalski, in 1957 after meeting her at a square dance social. John attended Chaffey College and Cal Poly Pomona where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1975. He attended college over a 20-year span while working full–time and raising a family – an accomplishment of which he was proud. John's career history included Kaiser Steel, Wyle Labs in Norco, and Data Design Labs in Rancho Cucamonga, where he helped make parts of the Apollo and Gemini space program missions. He worked for the California Air Resources Board (CARB) for 27 years and was part of the industry that regulated diesel truck emissions that to this day have significantly improved air quality in the state. John retired in 1999 from CARB after he and Dot moved to Sun Lakes where he enjoyed 25 years of playing golf, skiing, photography, Jazzercise, playing bridge and being a referee for the Sun Lakes Bocce Ball Club. He was a member of the Banning/Beaumont Bridge Club since 2015. John was also part of "The Bike Guys" from Sun Lakes who volunteered to repair bicycles at Child Help USA in Banning. He was also a member of the Friendship Club and Cruzin' Cronies. John and Dot raised three children in Fontana where they were active in sports, dance, music, and other activities. John's greatest love was spending time with Dot and their grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He and Dot attended every game, recital, and award ceremony they could. Everyone who knew and loved John also knew how much he and Dot enjoyed going to Disneyland and Walt Disney World. They shared a love of travel and have taken many cruises to several foreign countries and have visited all 50 states. But what brought them the most joy was visiting the "happiest place on Earth." They made weekly trips to Disneyland in Anaheim and traveled to Walt Disney World one to two times yearly and went to all six parks. They have hosted 73 friends and family members at their Disney timeshare, with a detailed itinerary of each day created by John to make sure visitors experienced the best places and attractions. He and Dot loved sharing their beloved Disney parks with others. John is survived by Dot, his wife of 66 years and his children, Michelle Kargenian (Bob), Michael Kowalski (Kelli) and Marc Kowalski (Jill); his grandchildren: Adam and Caroline Kargenian, Kristofer Kowalski (Valerie), Jonathon Kowalski (Cory), Maggi Baker (Grayson), Dominick and Jenna Kowalski. He also has four great-grandchildren.