Steve Gozdziewski, the former “Grand Gouda” of the KansasFest committee, has passed away. He was 69.
Steve was the champion of KansasFest for many years, leading the event around the turn of the century, after the Apple II had been discontinued but before it became retro. He recruited several committee members as well as such memorable keynote speakers as Ryan Suenaga and Eric Shepherd. But Steve made sure to enjoy the event, too: he loved the community and how effortlessly friends reconnected after a year apart. He especially appreciated how easily new friendships were made, commenting, “I’ve always wanted and felt that EVERY Apple II owner/user should experience KFest at least once — it’s almost an obligation that comes with owning the machine:) It’s been wonderful to see how much knowledge and experience the newcomers bring along with what they also gain by attending. KFest really has a magical quality!”
Steve was also a wizard at GShisen, often winning the KansasFest game competition with scores that left his fellow players in the dust. Although Steve had not been to KansasFest since 2003, he remained connected to the community. For KansasFest 2010, he sponsored the purchase of one copy of the documentary GET LAMP for each attendee.
Whether Steve was winning or losing, chatting, running around, or laying back, he always had a smile on his face and a laugh to go with it. He will be missed.
More details are available from the Massapequa Funeral Home.
