Photo courtesy Kozan family | Mark Kozan, far right, owned Riverview Auto and Recycling in Caro and loved flying. Kozan died Saturday after the plane he was flying in with Vassar’s Richard Hayward crashed into a Shiawassee County farm field. The Incident is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.
By Bill Petzold
Editor
and Megan Decker
Staff Writer
TUSCOLA COUNTY — The families of two Tuscola County men killed in a plane crash Saturday are mourning men who loved flying and living life to the fullest.
Richard Kenneth Hayward, 63 of Vassar, and passenger Mark James Kozan, 49 of Caro, were killed when the single-engine aircraft that Hayward was piloting crashed nose-first into a Shiawassee County farm field near the southwest corner of M-13 and Cronk Road about 2 p.m. Saturday. The crash is under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.
Kozan was the owner of Caro’s Riverview Auto and Recycling, 987 Ellington Street in Caro, and many remember him as a well-respected member of Caro’s business community.
“Mark loved helping people,” Kozen’s mother Nancy Kozan said. “He loved a challenge. His nature was always optimistic that whatever the challenge was, it could be achieved — no matter how difficult. And, he never gave up until the task was completed.”
Mark was born to Nancy and James Kozan in 1965 in Melvindale, Michigan, which is a short distance south of Dearborn in the Detroit metro area. The family moved to Mayville in 1972, and Mark graduated from Mayville High School in 1982. His mother described him as an adventurous person who enjoyed experiencing new things.
“Mark loved and protected his family and friends,” Nancy Kozan said. “He loved the outdoors and animals. He loved flying; he loved the entire community of flying. He loved to travel, especially going to and driving around Traverse City. He truly enjoyed trips anywhere and everywhere, seeing the countryside and new places. Mark loved to try ‘Foodies,’ enjoyed trying new foods, and tasting different cultures’ prepared dishes.”
Nancy Kozan also described Mark as a “driven person, a workaholic,” which likely had to do with the fact that Kozan started Riverview Auto right out of high school at age 19. At age 49, he already was celebrating three decades of serving the Caro community.
Kozan’s cousin Kathy Griffin said that despite Mark’s business savvy, he was a humble and down-to-earth person.
“To know Mark was to like Mark,” Griffin said. “Mark had a very dry, very good sense of humor. (Riverview) was just a junkyard when he got it, piles and piles of junk, and now it’s all computerized. They made it a thriving business that can be respected. His father Jim and Mark, they were just best friends.
“He was a humble person. He was just so down to earth; he never flaunted anything he might have had. He was just his own person — he was a man’s man. We all loved him. Mark was always aboveboard. He was one of the good guys.”
Griffin said while Mark was single and did not have any children of his own, “Uncle Mark” was a hero to his nieces and nephews Madison, London, Ezra, Malachi and Liberty Salmine and Chase and Blaise Kozan.
“He was incredible,” Griffin said. “He was warmhearted and very giving — willing to help anybody. Uncle Mark was everything — he just helped them with whatever they wanted, taught them how to do things that would be very useful in life. When they were 16, he would find a car for them and they would fix it up together so they would know how to work on their car. He taught them alot; he was a good teacher, and he was more than an uncle — he was their friend, someone they could always go to.”
Griffin said that Hayward was taking Mark to pick up Kozan’s helicopter when the plane crashed.
“The yard was open until noon, and then he was going to get a ride,” she said. “Mark called and said ‘I have someone here that’s going to give me a ride.’ His helicopter was in for its annual inspection. He was the passenger. All we really know is what came across the TV all weekend.”
In addition to his nieces, nephews, parents and grandmother Annie Chapek, Mark leaves behind his sister Michelle and husband Donald Salmine and brother Jason and wife Julie Kozan. In keeping with Mark’s wishes, his body will be cremated and no public memorial service will be held. A private service for family will be planned at a later date.
Memorial planned for Hayward
Family and friends will remember Richard Kenneth Hayward, 63, of Vassar during a prayer service at 7 p.m. on Thursday.
Richard Hayward
Hayward, who had a passion for flying, served the United States with a decorated military career that spanned more than 25 years. He retired from the U.S. Air Force in 2004. Hayward also retired from General Motors Steering Gear, was a volunteer firefighter with the Portsmouth Township Fire Department and was also a member of the Vassar Eagles Aerie No. 2380.
Richard was an avid pilot and enjoyed flying, gardening, raising animals and spending time with his family.
“Richard was selfless when it came to helping out at the airport,” said friend Tim Adams of Vassar. “We would often go down there and cut the grass and do anything else that needed to be done.
“He was one of the good guys. We was a friendly guy who never had an unkind word to say about anyone he met.”
Several friends and family expressed condolences and shared stories of Hayward on Penzien-Steele Funeral Home’s memory book.
“Rich was always a pleasure to work with regarding the use of the jail work site crew at the airport. He will be missed,” wrote Tuscola County Sheriff Leland Teschendorf.
“I’’ll always hold our memories close to heart and cherish all the time I have spent with you. You’re my guardian angel now, watch over me from heaven, grandpa. I’ll love you forever and miss you for always. Rest in peace and fly high my beautiful angel,” wrote granddaughter Justine Hayward.
“I will never forget our many talks during lunch and Richard’s sense of humor at the Corner Cafe. Rest in peace my Military brother,” Adams added.
Richard is survived by his wife, Lynn; children, John (fiancée Judy Yaworski) Hayward, Holly (Jed) Thomas, David (Jesse Hages) Hayward and Susan (David Clement) Doran; step-children, Nicole (Jeff) Sharp, Jamie (Kevin) Raymond and Tom Matako; grandchildren, Alysha (Rusty), Justine, Nicole, Madison, Ashton, Avery, Cole, Caitlyn, Carter, Landen, Hannah, Anthony and Hunter; a great-granddaughter, Mylie (and a granddaughter and a great-grandson on the way soon). Also surviving are his mother, Rhea Hayward; his brothers and sisters, Bill Hayward, Dianne (Robert) Zuzula, Ken (Donna) Hayward, Maureen (Eric) Spychalski and Mike (Tina) Hayward; many nieces, nephews and special friends Ken Starr and Judy Busha.
Visitation will be held from 3 to 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Penzien-Steele Funeral Home, 608 N. Madison Ave., in Bay City. The visitation will conclude at 7 p.m. with a Prayer Service. The Rev. Michael G. Stahl will officiate. Cremation will follow the service and private interment will take place at Great Lakes National Cemetery.
The Advertiser could not reach the family of Richard Hayword prior to press time.