Joseph A. "Joe" Salisz, MD's Obituary
Dr. Joseph A. “Joe” Salisz, 64, fought the good fight and met his Lord and Savior early Monday morning, August 21, 2023. He was born December 10, 1958, in Muskegon to Paul and Janet (Volek) Borgeson and was adopted at a young age by Henry J. Salisz. Joe was a lifelong resident of this area. He was a 1977 graduate of Muskegon Catholic Central. He received his BS from Aquinas College, his MD from Wayne State University, and concluded his urology residency from Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak in 1991. He practiced medicine in Muskegon at Westshore Urology from 1991 until his retirement in 2021. Joe was a devoted husband, father, and bapa/grandpa. While an exceptional Urologist by profession, he was a teacher at heart. He taught Sheila, his children, grandchildren, family, friends, patients, and employees (really anyone who was interested) about rocks, trees, plants, medicine, music, the great outdoors, and his faith in God. Joe was an avid sportsman. He enjoyed hunting and fishing with family and friends. He loved writing stories about his adventures. Adventurer was his middle name. One of Joe’s greatest adventures of life was Sheila and the life they created together. With Joe’s planning, he made sure they were always on the move. Joe and Sheila took the family all the way from Alaska to Florida, California to Maine, and everywhere there were campfire songs to be sung and constellations to be viewed. Joe also spent valuable time at his happy place, “the cabin”; hunting, farming, fishing, teaching and storytelling all while listening to music. He worked on every relationship he had as if it were as important as a marriage. In all things Joe lived, he lived as a devoted Christian and shared his faith with everyone who was blessed to be touched by his life. On August 1, 1981, Joe married Sheila Halloran, and she survives him along with their four children: Mark (Mollie) Salisz, and their children Henry, Hannah, and Marie, Eric (Michelle) Salisz, and their children Mason and Mandy, Bridget (John) Ehlich, and their children Jameson and Ava, Katherine (Brad) Moldovan; two brothers: Paul (Mary) Salisz, Francis (Paula) Salisz; one sister: Patricia (Mark) VanderWest; and many close extended family. He was preceded in death by his biological father Paul Borgeson, his mother Janet Salisz, his adoptive father Henry J. Salisz, and grandson Finn Ehlich. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Friday, August 25, at 3:00 PM at St. Francis de Sales Catholic Church. Visitation will be Thursday, August 24, from 4-7 PM, also at the church. The rosary will be prayed at 3:30 PM. A private family burial will take place at St. Marys Cemetery. Contributions in memory of Dr. Salisz may be made to Step Up, or the Muskegon Catholic Central Education Foundation. Arrangements have been entrusted to The Lee Chapel of Sytsema Funeral and Cremation Services, 6291 S. Harvey St., Norton Shores, MI 49444.
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