John "Duke" Kozul

John Phillip Kozul "Duke", 83, of Kalamazoo, passed away Friday, February 9, 2024. He was born August 24, 1940, in Chicago, Illinois, the only son of John  Kozul and Francis (Yurkas) Kozul .

Duke was raised in south Chicago, where his family owned a neighborhood tavern. As a young man he excelled in baseball and had strong support for the Chicago Cubs. He had a fierce love for the city and eventually went to barber school. Duke began his career downtown in the 60's and worked cutting hair of many local celebrities until the late 70's. Growing up, his family would spend the summers at their vacation home in Michigan. Around the time he turned 40, Duke made the decision to leave Chicago and move to Paw Paw, where he would settle down and start a family. In 1980 he married Judy Redsicker and the couple had two sons, Jacob and Mike. During this time he also went into business for himself when he opened Dukes Barber Shop in Paw Paw. Although he and Judy later divorced, they always put their son's needs first. Duke enjoyed sharing his love for baseball with them when he coached little league for several years. He was always proud of his Croatian heritage and was dedicated to his parents. As their health declined, Duke was always there to check in on them. When his mother began living in an assisted living home, he would not let a day go by without stopping in for a visit. Being raised Catholic, he was devoted to his faith and was a longtime parishioner at Saint Mary Catholic Church. Duke genuinely believed in helping others as much as he could. He would do anything to help a stranger or someone in need.

He is survived by his son, Mike (Neddie Garcia) Kozul of Tulsa, OK; and his two sisters, Mary Kauffman and Yvonne Orlando.

Duke was preceded in death by his son, Jacob Kozul and his sister, Rose.

Rosary service will be led by Rev. Fr. Alan P. Jorgensen, Thursday, February 15, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. at Adams Funeral Home, Paw Paw. Visitation will follow from 5:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will take place Friday at 11:00 a.m. at Saint Mary Catholic Church, Paw Paw, with Rev. Fr. Robert F. Creagan officiating. Burial will conclude at Saint Mary Cemetery.