Nicholas George Furdeck, 74 of Hammond passed away peacefully at home February 18, 2017 surrounded by his family. Nick was born September 21, 1942, at St. Margarets Hospital in Hammond. He is survived in life by his mother, Anne Furdeck, 97, his wife of 50 years Carolyn, and their children Diane (Kevin) Fales, David Brady, Gina Furdeck, Nicholas Furdeck, and Joseph (Caren) Furdeck, 15 grand-children and 8 great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his devoted siblings, Betty Ann Gruener, Julianne (Barry) Devine, Michael (Sonia) Furdeck, Nancy (David)Treadway and his many dear nieces, nephews and a host of continuously close child hood friends. He is preceded in death by his father Nicholas Joseph Furdeck. After graduating from Bishop Noll Institute, Nick was a United States Marine, being deployed in the early sixties during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After he served his country for four years he returned home to Northwest Indiana to spend his life committed to his community. With deep roots in East Chicago going back generations, he raised his family in nearby Hammond. A dedicated father he served as a Little League coach, Scout leader and CCD teacher. Nick was politically active, volunteering at voting polls as a precinct committeeman and working to support candidates, believing in everyone's democratic responsibility. During his career in the Steel industry, Nick grew a reputation as one of the Midwest's foremost experts on Steel Making and manufacturing. Following in the footsteps of his father he raised two sons who eventually became the third generation of Furdecks to become Steel Makers. Nick eventually took his expertise and built his own company, NGF Associates, which supported area steel mills and other manufacturing in the Calumet Region. He was well respected as honest to a fault with an enviable work ethic that kept him at it until a month before he passed. Nick was a passionate life-long Chicago Bears and White Sox Fan who never missed a game and an opportunity to yell at the TV about a screwed up play. He had an expansive collection of loyal friends, many of which were from as early as his kindergarten classroom at Holy Trinity Catholic Elementary school in East Chicago. These friendships lasted his lifetime. Between playing cards, golfing, annual vacations and marathon drinking sessions their bonds were legendary. As a sort of local historian and sharing his love of food, Nick's Croatian heritage was channeled through his passion for barbecuing lamb feeding everyone and anyone. In fact the lambs he mounted on a spit would tempt strangers and friends alike to hover impatiently over the cutting table. As sort of an entertaining dream team with his wife Carol and her fantastic cooking, friends and family enjoyed their famous backyard parties and holiday get togethers for decades. He set an amazing example for his five children instilling a strong work ethic, raising them to act with honesty and integrity. Nick's contagious charm and living his life believing all things are possible made the lives of everyone he knew a little bit sweeter. His bright light will be terribly missed by all those he left behind Heaven will be the lucky to have him, and Nick will probably be sure everyone up there is having a good time, and maybe serving them lamb. Funeral services will be held Thursday Feb. 23, 2017 10 am mass directly at St. John Bosco church 7113 Columbia Ave., Hammond, IN with Father Richard Orlinski officiating. Cremation to follow Friends may visit with the family on Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2017 from 2-8 pm at the Solan-Pruzin Funeral Home 14 Kennedy Avenue, Schererville, IN (Main and Kennedy Ave.)