Joseph Gosik

Joseph “Joe”  Gosik, 89, of Hershey, passed away on September 19, 2022.  He was born April 8, 1933 in Philadelphia, son of the late Joseph and Mary Anna (Gaworski) Gosik.  He was preceded in death by his wife of 67 years, Ilene, and is survived by son and daughter-in-law Michael & Silvia Gosik and their three sons Josh, Matt and Kirk; daughter and son-in-law Linda & Robert Boudreau and their three children Jess, Bobby and Cole; son and daughter-in-law Douglas and Theresa Gosik; and six great grandchildren.

Orphaned at an early age, Joe entered the Hershey Industrial School (Milton Hershey) in 1943.  He grew to embrace the strong work ethic instilled there, and in later years would speak fondly of the athletic exploits and farming activities that were part of his experience.  Perhaps most importantly he established close friendships with a number of classmates, relationships that were lifelong.  Given their circumstances, he viewed those friends more as brothers than classmates.  His involvement with the School, which included a stint as the Alumni Association President, lasted his entire life.

Shortly after his graduation in 1951 he enlisted in the United States Air Force, participating in both the Korean and Viet Nam wars as well as overseas tours in England and Germany.  He left the Air Force as a Master Sergeant after 22 years of service, returning with his family to his adopted hometown of Hershey, where he joined the Hershey Entertainment Company.  He retired in 1997 as the Director of Maintenance for Hersheypark.

In his retirement years Joe enjoyed travelling with Ilene, gatherings with family & friends, golfing with buddies, storytelling (sometimes with a tiny bit of embellishment) and, for some perplexing reason, Bob Evans. Together with Ilene, Joe created a loving, generous and supportive environment for his family.  His children are incredibly proud of the strength he displayed to overcome difficulties early in life, the sacrifices he made and successes he achieved throughout his life, and the dignity he maintained in later years.  He’ll always have their undying love and gratitude, and will be deeply missed.

In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial contributions be made to the PA Wounded Warriors, Inc., 1013 Mumma Rd., Suite 203, Wormleysburg, PA 17043. Share condolences at hooverfuneralhome.com.