Engineering Memorial Page
This page is created to honor all those who have left their mark in the Engineering Community. We greatly appreciate their contributions and their friendship.
(If you know of someone in the Engineering Community that should be memorialized please email us at asce.toledosection@gmail.com)
Gregory Allen Bieszczad
1955-2021
Julie beth Cousino
1964-2020
benjamin dansard v
1927-2023
Michael Wayne Johnson
1956-2020
JAMES A. MEEKER
1954 - 2020
Roger Woodbury
1944 - 2021
Former ASCE Toledo Section President (2015/2016) and current At-Large Board Member, Gregory Allen Bieszczad, P.E. of Perrysburg, Ohio, passed away on Tuesday, February 16, 2021. Born and raised in Toledo, Greg attended and graduated from St. Francis De Sales in 1973, going on to obtain his degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Toledo. Greg rose through the ranks to become a Senior Vice President at Poggemeyer Design Group in Bowling Green, Ohio, where he enjoyed greatly his 40-year career, leading many projects, mentoring staff, and serving the Northwest Ohio Community.
Greg was born May 20, 1955 to Darrell and Rita Bieszczad by which he is survived. Greg is also survived by his two daughters Kirsten Bieszczad and Sarah Bieszczad (Simon Zingerle) as well as his siblings Scott Bieszczad, Carla Eckel (Gary), Paul Bieszczad (Lisa Managhan) and his niece Elly Bieszczad. He was a devoted and beloved father, son, brother, and friend, providing immeasurable support to all of the lives he touched.
Greg was often the first to step up and offer assistance for any community-based project through ASCE and was very diligent in attending and participating as many meetings and functions as he could. He set a tremendous example for all local members of ASCE. Greg’s accomplishments professionally and his service to the local community and Civil Engineering profession were formally recognized when he was awarded Engineer of the Year by ASCE in 2017. Greg’s presence at our local functions and meetings will be missed terribly. We extend our condolences to his family and friends.
Julie Beth Cousino was born on November 28, 1964 in Bedford, Michigan. She was valedictorian of her class at Bedford High School, where she was also a member of the National Honor Society. Julie graduated with a BSCE Degree from the University of Toledo in 1986. After college, she worked for the City of Toledo, rising through the ranks in the Division of Engineering Services to be the Administrator of the Toledo Waterways Initiative (TWI) Program, a $527 million program that spanned 18 years. In her free time Julie enjoyed camping and spending quality time with her family and friends. Julie sadly passed away on May 24th, 2020 in Ottawa Lake Michigan at the age of 55.
Julie’s positive impact was easy to see within the engineering community through her leadership of the TWI Program and time working with the City of Toledo. She was calm, direct, good humored and diligent in her duties leading all of her projects.
Benjamin Dansard V was born Sept. 23, 1927, in Kalamazoo, Mich. to Jane and Benjamin Dansard IV, he was brought up in Toledo's Old West End. In 1945, he graduated from Scott High School and then joined the Navy at the end of the World war II. He served at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, repairing aviation electronics until his honorable discharge. Mr. Dansard then used his GI bill to attend the University of Michigan, where he graduated with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering. He later got a master's degree in business administration from the University of Toledo.
Mr. Dansard retired in 1997 from a lifelong career as a professional engineer at what then was Dansard, Grohnke & Long Ltd., now DGL Consulting Engineers, where he started around 1952. His professional memberships included the American Society of Civil Engineers and the American Society of Professional Engineers. Over the years, Mr. Dansard also volunteered for the Rotary Club of Toledo, where he was a member, and made several trips to Nicaragua and Guatemala to deliver club-sponsored medical facilities and supplies. He also served as president of the club in 1986 and 1987. His other memberships included the University of Michigan Alumni Association and Northwest Ohio Lung Association, where he was a past board member. In his free time, he enjoyed fishing for pike and bass in Lake Leelanau in northern Michigan and for trout at Rockwell Springs Trout Club near Castalia, Ohio.
Michael Johnson was born in Toledo on August 2,1956. He graduated from Hocking College with a Forest Management Degree in 1976 and received his business degree from the University of Toledo in 1985. He was employed at Lucas Soil and Water District as an Area Conservation Technician for 5 years. He then worked for Finkbeiner Pettis and Stout as a Technician for 15 years, and afterwards was employed by the City of Perrysburg as and Engineering Technician for 15 years.
Michael was apart of the UT Alumni Association since 1985 and was also a volunteer at Immaculate Conception Church as and Usher from 2000-2020.
Michael enjoyed helping people and thoroughly cherished his time working for the City of Perrysburg. He was valued by co workers, designers, contractors, and developers for his insight, honesty, and attention to detail. He had a great practical eye, was a great listener, and amazing problem solver. Any project Michael touched would have the best solution for the community. Michael had a fine sense of humor and set all around him at ease.
His love for his family was unwavering. He loved his wife and daughters dearly and absolutely doted over the grand kids. In his free time he loved his family Disney trips and his winter vacations to the Caribbean.
Michael passed away on 4-3-2020 at the age of 63.
Jim Meeker was born on September 18th, 1954. He graduated from Whitmer High School in 1972 and received an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Civil Engineering from Owens Technical College in 1975. He joined Finkbeiner, Pettis & Strout as a Draftsman and worked on countless waterline and sewer projects for communities in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan, helping to improve the lives of many, with his hard work. Jim remained with the Finkbeiner, Pettis & Strout successor firm, ARCADIS, becoming a Staff Designer in the Water Division. As part of a larger firm that worked on projects throughout the country, Jim was able to use his talents on infrastructure projects and mechanical piping systems designed to be constructed throughout the country.
He enjoyed his work, taking a keen interest in how systems functioned and were built, and how to best represent that on construction drawings. He was an excellent designer and was well-liked by his co-workers. Jim had recently celebrated 43 years of service in the Toledo office.
Outside of work, Jim loved to work on cars, but especially spending time at the family cottage skiing, swimming, boating and being a general repairman at the cottage.
Jim was loyal, kind and caring. He passed away November 30, 2020, losing his battle with the Coronavirus. He will be greatly missed by his mother, Jeannine Meeker, and his sister, Michelle Meeker.
Roger Woodbury was born in Youngstown, Ohio, the oldest of three siblings. He attended Ohio University in Athens, Ohio where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Civil Engineering and a Master’s Degree in Sanitary Engineering. Upon graduation, Roger and his wife Marge moved to Toledo when he joined the engineering firm known at the time as Finkbeiner, Pettis, & Strout (now Arcadis). He worked there his entire career, rising to the level of partner in 1989. Roger was a registered Civil Engineer in multiple states and was proud to be a life member of the American Water Works Association and the Water Environment Federation. He was also a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers and received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Ohio Water Environment Association.
Roger was an indispensable technical resource for all the young engineers that he worked with and was able to influence during his career. In his retirement, Roger thoroughly enjoyed fishing at local lakes and the Maumee River when the weather was suitable. He also enjoyed trips to Florida to visit family, listening to 50’s and 60’s music, and attending performances by his grandson at Toledo School for the Arts and Butler University. Roger passed away on February 10, 2021 at the age of 77. Roger was a tremendously skilled mentor, influencing scores of civil engineers throughout the ASCE Toledo Region and providing a positive impact to our profession.