After his wife died nine years ago, Gene Krzyskowski went into a blue funk — until he realized the world still needed him.

So Krzyskowski decided to bring cheer to other Burbank residents at a special dance and music night held every other Wednesday at his favorite McDonald’s, dancing each time for several hours and inviting everyone else to do the same.

To honor the long-time Burbank resident and his important place at this eatery, owner/operator Randy Conn and Krzyskowski’s family, friends and acquaintances paid tribute to Krzyskowski, who died at age 93 in February, by placing a plaque at his favorite booth during a recent ceremony. The brass plaque indicates that “Gene the Dancing Machine” was “loved by all.”

“He was very gregarious, he was heartfelt, he was a connector,” said Gail Ann Bradshaw, his daughter. “He connected with people through hugs. He just initiated contact with people.”

She also said her dad simply loved eating at McDonald’s, particularly for breakfast, but mostly for the company.

“I think he liked sitting there and talking,” Bradshaw said.

Conn has owned and operated the Burbank McDonald’s since 2014 and now owns several others, said Krzyskowski was an important part of the bi-weekly music night, and the restaurant itself.

“I think Gene is the guy who made it come to life,” said Conn, as he addressed the crowd before placing a plaque on the table of his favorite booth, memorializing him. “We have mourned his loss but his memory isn’t going anywhere. He was loved by all and he will live forever at that table.”

He said he often dedicates a table to a loyal patron who has died, and Lisa Roti, a customer who knew Krzyskowski through the music and dancing events, suggested doing a little more for him. Thus the celebration, which involved music and dancing led by Frank Rossi and Tim Skorupa, regular performers at the McDonald’s music nights. John Scialabba, known as “Jukebox Johnnie,” did the singing, with the crowd swaying to the beat.

Bradshaw said her dad had lived in Burbank for the last 65 years or so, most of it with his wife, Janice, right down the street from the McDonald’s.

“He ate at that McDonald’s forever, the whole time he lived in Burbank,” said Bradshaw, whose brother Tod and a slew of other relatives also attended the event. “My dad liked any music and dancing, but he’s Polish, so he loved doing the polka.”

He owned Gene Krzyskowski Builders, which specialized in custom-built garages. His obituary asked, in lieu of flowers, for donations to the Michael J. Fox Association or St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, two organizations his daughter said touched his heart.

Bradshaw said when his wife and her mom died — his “soulmate,” she said — he was very sad and depressed for a few years. That was before he realized, “I need to spread the love,” she said.

“‘It was a way for him to manage his grief and he decided to make the most of his time on earth and spread the love,” she said. “Dancing was one way and he loved to do that.”

“He made a choice he was going to engage and have fun with people,” Todd Krzyskowski, her brother, told the crowd at the ceremony. “You were his family after our mom passed away.”

Gail Ann Bradshaw said her dad also came to work with her for her job as a dance movement therapist at an assisted living facility with memory units to help deal with his loss, reaching out to residents to encourage them to dance.

Linda Sobanski, of Burbank, said Krzyskowski was quite the ladies’ man, too.

“He made all the ladies feel special,” said Sobanski. “He asked every one of them to dance.”

Sobanski, who came to the celebration with Hazel Krasinski, of Chicago Ridge, another “Gene” fan, said he also brought energy to the place.

“Being a retired nurse, I was worried about him,” she said. “He had enough energy that he danced with each of those ladies — 8 or 10.”

Lisa Roti came up with the idea for the ceremony and special evening after watching Krzyskowski liven the place with his energy and love. Her mom, Josephine Rotiroti, 89, who has Alzheimer’s disease, didn’t even want to leave their Lemont home until she started coming to the event several years ago.

“She hardly wants to do anything but on Wednesday when it’s Frank (Rossi) night, she asks me where the lipstick is,” said Roti. “She found her happiness again.”

Roti said it wasn’t so much the music as the way Conn and musician Rossi made everyone feel welcome. She wrote a note to Conn thanking him.

“I said, do you know what you’ve created here … it’s like the Cheers of the south side,” said Roti.

She added that Krzyskowski was a big part of the spirit.

“You could not get him to sit down,” Roti said. “Even if a child or construction worker walked in, he would ask them to dance.”

Conn said the establishment would be running a video on the wall of Krzyskowski dancing.

“He was never just a customer, he was part of our McDonald’s family,” Conn said. “He just brought joy, not just to us but every single person who walked through the door.”

Janice Neumann is a freelance reporter for the Daily Southtown.