A tribute to Eddie Koza one of the best Catholics I ever met and love ❤️


There are not enough words to do justice or pay proper tribute to the life of a man the likes of Adil “Eddie” Koza. When we think of him, so many wonderful thoughts come to mind. For those of us who had the opportunity to know you, it was truly our honor and pleasure. Many people will hear of your passing dad and will be saddened at the loss of such a man. They will ask “how did Adil die”? While we are deeply saddened and mourn his passing, we want to celebrate his life and focus on “how he lived”. Never will we meet another man who more faithfully lived his values than Adil Koza.

Dad was ever so strong in mind, body and spirit. Although he held no degrees from any universities, he was one of the most intelligent people we have ever known. Regardless of the subject, whether it was life, politics, business, Eddie knew about it all. The will that he possessed was like that of few others in this world. He endured and persevered though endless health issues, including being born with only one kidney and overcoming 10 different episodes of cancer during his 79 years of life. The staff at every hospital he set foot in was amazed by him. People not only couldn’t believe his medical history and all the challenges he had overcome but that he was so vibrant, jovial, funny and full of life no matter the circumstances. He would always tell the nurses and doctors “You never met anybody like me and you never will again!” You were right about that dad, more than you ever knew.

Adil was a committed, honest and loyal man. If he said he was going to do something, you could guarantee that he was going to do just that. His word was his bond and everyone that knew Eddie knew that. There was never a question of his motive, he wanted to help others and asked for nothing in return. He was as honest and loyal as they come, never abandoning a person in need, whether they were a lifelong friend or someone he just met that needed his help.

He was a self made and self reliant person. He came to this country in 1958 at the age of 23 with nothing other than the clothes on his back, $15 in his pocket and a few other basic items. He left his mother, 4 brothers and 3 sisters back home in Telkaif in hopes of finding a better life for them all in the US. His first job in Michigan was as a stock boy at the Big Dipper Market in Detroit. Eddie started at the bottom and after years of hard work and dedication, he worked his way up and was eventually able to purchase Spotlight Supermarket, his first business. From there, Eddie’s career as an entrepreneur and as an independent business owner flourished. He was instrumental in bringing his family and four little brothers who had nothing to the US from Telakaif Iraq as well as assisting numerous other Chaldean Catholic individuals with their dreams.

Eddie was as generous as they come. He paid for peoples citizenship fees so that they could come to this country and he gave people money for their education or for their business so they could better themselves and stand on their own two feet. In return, he asked for nothing. He not only gave to those he knew but those he saw in need that he did not know. Way back when, before Diana Ross was Diana Ross, Adil used to give her free bags of chips so that she didn’t starve. The stories that people could tell about him and his generosity are countless. The stories could go on for hours or even days and we still would not be able to hear all of them or truly appreciate the generosity he showed to his fellow human beings.

This man loved his family so much and was dedicated to providing for them and giving them a better life than he had. Adil met Juliette in 1966 and soon after they married. They created a beautiful family and together they raised 5 amazing children. Dad always wanted his family to love one another and always stay close to each other since there is nothing more important in this world than family. Anyone that was blessed to have known Adil knew that they were loved and they were a better person for having known him. He was always giving us advice on how to be a better brother or sister to each other, a better husband or wife to our spouse and a better father and mother to our children and he was always right. Thank you for all of the lessons dad, we will carry them with us always and forever.

Eddie is survived by Juliette, the love of his life and his wife of nearly 48 years, and his loving children, Linda, Norman, Raymond, Laura and Christine as well as his 10 adoring grand children, Julian, Jianni, Jordan, Christian, Lourdes, Kadin, Nicholas, Dylan, Jayvin and Jonah.

To us dad, you are the man that loved your family, loved your friends, loved helping those in need and loved going grocery shopping at Meijer every weekend. You were a dedicated husband and father that taught us how to live and love. To your brothers and sisters, you remained a caring and loving brother, always there to help with whatever was needed. To your friends, you were a rock, the one they could count on to be there no matter what the situation or the need. To the community, you were a man of integrity and high moral character that everyone knew and respected. You lived your life your way, free of remorse and regrets. We should all be so lucky to live a life as long and as fulfilling as your life. Although the time we had with you was not enough and we would gladly take more, we thank you for everything you gave us during our time with you. We love you, miss you and will never forget you. Thank you for being our dad. God bless Eddie Koza ?

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