By John Dobberstein, Editor
A celebration of life has been planned for Eugene Kozuk of Broken Arrow, who went missing from his mother’s home and was tragically found dead several months later.
The service will be held at 3 p.m. on May 31 at the Noah Social Studio, 2407 E. Admiral Blvd. in Tulsa to honor Kozuk, described by family as “a beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend whose kindness, humor, and generous spirit touched the hearts of so many.”
Kozuk, 46, was schizophrenic and was battling diabetes, kidney disease and syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SAIDH), which would deplete his sodium to dangerously low levels and often impaired his speech and could send him into a coma.
On May 24 of last year, in the middle of the night, he walked away from his mother’s Indianwood Avenue home in south Broken Arrow. Efforts by law enforcement, friends, family and organizations to find him were unsuccessful as many residents hoped and prayed for a miracle. His remains were found in a deep ravine on Dec. 30, less than a mile from where he was living.
Kozuk dealt with challenges throughout his life. In first grade he tested out at a college level and was considered to have genius-level intelligence. At 17, he became schizophrenic, and he then began battling drug addiction.
Many of his family friends acknowledged the tough years he endured in adulthood, but choose to remember the best of times they had with Kozuk, nicknamed “Geno.”
A classmate, Jennifer Bailey, penned a tribune to Kozuk, describing him as a “beautiful person” and said when he walked out of the house he, “got to put down all the heavy burdens he had had to bear for decades. Major physical and mental issues that hid who he really was at heart.”
She shared a picture of what she believes was their 10th-grade dance.
“A bunch of us were up in my room getting ready. Well, all the girls were primping. All the guys were sitting around killing time while they waited on us,” she wrote. “I picked up my camera because I saw Bob (Eugene) looking all handsome and just as I snapped a picture, he did his signature finger guns pose.
“This was my friend. Sweet, kind, irreverent and he loved nothing more than to make you laugh. I have so many stories that have been floating around in my head … of him, and I and all the hilarious and mischievous adventures we had when we were young.
“Some I’ll just keep close to me. But I want to share this one. It’s by far not the funniest or the craziest one. But, to me, it’s the most special.”
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