Obituary of Stanley Walicki

WALICKI, Stanley (October 4, 1927 - September 19, 2013) From the fields of Poland grew a man among men. Proud and brave throughout his years, Stanley Walicki passed quietly in the early morning hours of September 19 in his 85th year.Stan was born in Meszne Gorno, Poland. As a 14 yr. old man, he was taken from his family by the forces which invaded Poland in WWII and brought to work in Germany for the duration of the war. This experience gave him a great love of family above all other things. The family he built consists of a beloved wife, Zofia, his son and daughters Adam (Anita), Barb and Danuta (Rob). Grandchildren Alicia, Dylan, Gabrielle and Tyler all remember him with heavy hearts. Predeceased by his first wife Wladyslawa who passed long ago. Early on, Stan decided he wanted to squeeze from life all that he could get. His parents Marcin and Maria (nee. Kraska), brothers and sisters Wladyslaw, Franciszek and Aniela bid him well in his new journey. In coming to Canada in 1948, Stan got off of the boat in Halifax with $1 in his pocket and didn’t despair. With a language to learn and a life to forge, Stan set out to take what was his by the sweat of his brow. Along the way to Niagara he had stops near Ottawa and the Algonquin highlands where he worked in the hydro fields. Upon his arrival in St. Catharines, he worked at Ridley College for a number of years and finally settled into TRW where he retired in 1992 after a 30 yr. career there. If Stan wasn’t surrounded by his family, he could likely be found in the garden caring for the next crop of the Walicki Estates’ finest concord wine grapes or feeding cracker and muffin scraps to his backyard birds…after all, what else would they eat? Stan was an active member of the Canadian Polish Society taking great pride in the language, culture and traditions which he lovingly passed to his children. He loved family vacations to Barry’s Bay, talking with strangers and jumped at the chance to volunteer and assist anyone who may have been in need of his ample generosity - no charge! Stan's family would like to thank the Nurses and Staff of the Palliative Care/Oncology Unit at the St. Catharines General Hospital for their care and compassion during his time with them. Visitation to be held at George Darte Funeral Home, 585 Carlton Street in St. Catharines on Sunday, September 22, 2013 from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Rosary will be recited at 7:30 p.m. At 10 a.m. on Monday, September 23, 2013, Funeral Liturgy will be held in Stan’s honour at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Church, 5 Oblate St., St. Catharines. Interment to follow at Victoria Lawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations to Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in memory of Stanley Walicki would be greatly appreciated by Stan and his family. “Remember me with smiles and laughter, for that is how I will remember you all. If you can only remember me with tears, then don't remember me at all.” We think Stan would agree…… Spij wspokoju tata. But as Stan would say, this is all ”nice talking”.