Nicholas Gusz

Nicholas Christopher Gusz, ("Gus"), was born on April 11, 1939, in St. Francis Hospital, in Trenton, New Jersey. Nicholas passed away on Thursday, September 13, 2012, due to natural causes. He is survived and dearly missed by his daughter, Elisabeth Bissell, and son, Evan Gusz, as well as children in-law Jimmy Bissell and Jackie Gusz (Palagruto). Nick is adored by his granddaughter, Kayla Bissell, with whom he shared a love of art and of music, especially the Beatles, the piano, and the harmonica. Nick is preceded in death and finally reunited in Heaven with his one true love, Beverly P. Gusz, with whom he made his home in the Bridesburg neighborhood of Philadelphia for over twenty-five years, and who passed away in 2003 of cancer. Nick is also survived by his brother John ("Brother John"), and the mother of his children, Lois Gerenday. Nick, known to his parents Nicholas and Shirley Gusz as "Skipper", was raised in Trenton, New Jersey, where he still has many friends, including his best friend of over fifty years, Robert Schneck. Gus will be remembered by dozens of friends and fellow co-workers from Local 69 Ironworkers, where he is a lifetime Honorary Union member. Among other well-known landmarks, Gus was instrumental in building Lightin' Loops at Six Flags Great Adventure, The Trenton Makes Bridge, and coincidentally, St. Mary's Hospital in Langhorne, where he passed away. Gus was well-known and well-liked throughout the Bridesburg community, where he was fondly known as "The King of Bridesburg". A proverbial "bar-fly" first in Trenton, and later in Bridesburg, Gus enjoyed sparking controversy over "a shot and a beer" and heated conversations about politics, religion, and the meaning of life. Gus was a warehouse of useless knowledge, and loved sharing his inane facts with his friends, strangers, and just about anyone that would listen. Gus' other enjoyments included playing chess weekly, gambling for sport, creating crazy recipes, reading political satire, listening to all types of music, laughing at the comedy of George Carlin, watching news programs, following Imus in the Morning and The Imus Ranch, and "surfing the net". Gus was a true lover of animals, and although he had many cats, dogs, bunnies, and birds while a resident of Bridesburg, he never quite got over the loss of his constant companion and beloved German Shepherd, Gunner. Remarkably, at the age of 67, Gus began painting and sketching, creating beautiful works of art in graphite and paper, or oil and watercolor on canvas. Although only just over five feet tall and a hundred pounds, Gus was larger than life. Anyone who knew him has at least one great story to share and remember him by. Gus lived life the way he wanted and died on his own terms, and is finally at peace "on the farm". Gus will be missed by many, and forgotten by no one.