Gust Chocas

Gust Chocas, age 89, passed away peacefully on Friday, September 4, 2015, at his home in Middleton, WI. He was born on January 5, 1926, in Cheyenne, WY, to George and Helen (Marandos) Chocas. The seventh of ten children, Gust was the last living member of his sibling group. He grew up in Cheyenne, WY and graduated from Central High School. He served a short time in the Navy toward the end of World War II. Afterwards he attended college and received degrees in civil and mechanical engineering from the University of Wyoming. He worked for several years at Boeing in Seattle, WA before settling down in Denver, Colorado where he met and married his wife Marina. He worked for the Federal Highway Administration for 34 years as a bridge engineer. He was most proud of his contributions to the design and creation of the Eisenhower tunnel and Glenwood Canyon 1-70 Final Link Highway Project in the Colorado mountains. He enjoyed poetry and history, going for long walks and rides in his car and was a member of the Scottish Rite Masonic Lodge in Denver for many years. Gust became a Wisconsin native 11 years ago after coming to visit his daughter's family and never returning home. Had he not made that spontaneous trip, we would not have had these special years together. As our live-in grandpa, he played a special part in his grandchildren's lives by making them breakfast, helping them learn to walk, teaching them how to play "Scribbage", providing a lap to just sit in, and hosting numerous cartoon-viewings in his room. We will deeply miss his puttering around the house, curmudgeonly moments, driving around in his 1984 Volvo sedan and our morning conversations. We will remember him as a loving man who touched more lives than he knew. Gust was preceded in death by his wife Marina (Mihal), his parents, three sisters and six brothers. He is survived by his daughter Elaine Taylor, and husband Claude Taylor and their two children Emily and Evan of Middleton WI, as well as numerous nieces and nephews and his two godchildren. The family would like to especially thank the following physicians and nursing staff for exceptional care over the past 11 years: Dr. Edward Ahrens and staff of St. Mary's Renal Care Center for helping him through six and half years of dialysis, UW Health Drs. Takushi Kohmoto, Satoru Osaki, Ford Ballentyne, III, the Orthopedics department and Associated Physicians Drs. Thomas Hyzer, Michelle Schroeder and Elizabeth O'Brien for never treating him like he was "too old". In lieu of flowers, the family would like to request memorial donations be made to the National Organization of Disorders of the Corpus Callosum ( www.nodcc.org ) or United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Dane County ( www.ucpdane.org ). A memorial gathering in Gust's honor will be held Saturday, October 10th, 2015. Please contact the Cress Center for more detailed information.

Cress Center
6021 University Avenue
Madison, WI 53705
608-238-8406