Joseph Edward Hornyak

Joseph “Joe” Edward Hornyak, 100, of Westland, Michigan, passed away peacefully on April
7th, 2024. He was born in Windber, Pennsylvania, on April 2, 1924 to Joseph and Margaret
(Boury) Hornyak.

Joe was married to Sandra (Makula) until her passing in 2008.

Joe worked in the lithography field for over 40 years. Above all else, he was an avid golfer, but
he also enjoyed fishing, sailing, duck carving, woodworking, cooking, flower gardening and
traveling.

Joe’s early life began in Pennsylvania mine country. As a teenager, Joe traveled to Michigan to
find better opportunities for his family, with him going first and his family to follow. On March 1,
1943 Joe was inducted into the United States Army Air Force. He trained as a flight engineer
on B-24 bombers in World War II and he flew 51 missions from a base in Manduria, Italy. Joe
received many decorations and citations as a Tech Sergeant during his time in the Air Force,
including the Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster.

Joe started golfing when he was 27. He taught himself how to play with thousands of shots on
golf ranges and short courses. Joe was a member of several leagues over the course of his
playing career, including the Ackroyd league at Glenhurst Golf Course in Redford, MI. Bob
Fitzgerald, league organizer said. "He was a great guy and he beat me a lot. He was dapper for
his age. He'd drive up in that Miata with a cigar and his golf clubs. He was ready." Joe was a
longtime member of Lakelands Golf and Country Club and there he played in the best player’s
Champs Club. He broke his age many times during his 70's, 80’s and 90’s. Eric Martin, the
professional at Lakelands G&CC, stated that Joe shot "a 74 on Aug. 18, 1999 and a 79 when
he was 80 years old. He had a great short game and he was a sharp dresser with a sports car”.
Joe ended his playing career as a member of Oak Pointe Country Club in Brighton, MI.

Joe played 262 golf courses in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean Islands. This
included two of the best courses, Cypress Point and Palm Beach. His passion for golf resulted
in seven hole-in-ones.

He loved to cook Italian, Hungarian, and Asian cuisine and everything needed to have a sauce.
He proudly maintained a collection of hundreds of recipes, all with his own ratings and
personal edits. He was a terrific woodworker; creating keepsakes for his children and
granddaughters, step stools for his great grandchildren, and carving realistic duck replicas.

He lived for traveling with his wife Sandra, playing golf, tinkering around, and spending time
with his cat, Roxy. Joe will be remembered for his many talents, great stories, amazing fashion,
and his love for all things Italian (the food, the wine, the shoes, the style, the bread, the cars,
the culture, the people, the art, and the natural beauty of the country).

On April 2, 2024 his children and granddaughters wished him a Happy 100th Birthday! His
response, "I made it!”. He peacefully passed away five days later.

Joe is survived by his son, Ronald and daughter, Sandra (Hornyak) Zacharias; granddaughters,
Lindsey (Josh) Miller, Carly (Ryan) Edinger, and Alana Zacharias; great-grandchildren, Luke,
Julia, Lucy, and Jack; sister Olga Hornyak, and brother John Hornyak; and numerous Makula
family members.

Joe is preceded in death by his wife Sandra; son Kristen; his mother and father; sister, Anna,
and brother, Robert.

The Visitation will be held on Saturday, April 13, 2024 from 1:00 - 5:00 pm at Manns Family
Funeral Home, 17000 Middlebelt Road, Livonia, 48154.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be to the COPD Foundation, or another Foundation of your
choice.