Janusz Kaczmarski
December 15, 1928 - August 20, 2022
Obituary
Janusz Kaczmarski, 93, beloved Husband, Father and Grandfather, passed away on August 20, 2022. He entered this world on December 15, 1928 in Warsaw, Poland, born to Venceslaus and Apolonia Kaczmarski. He is survived by his daughter Beatrice Kaczmarski; spouse Eleonore Kaczmarski; son Vern Kaczmarski; daughter-in-law Leslie Mayeda Kaczmarski; grandson Spencer Kaczmarski; and cousin Sophia Kaczmarski.
Janusz was a World War II survivor who was classified as a displaced person following the war. He joined the Polish Guards as part of the occupied forces of the US Army in Mannheim, Germany where he met and married his wife of 71 years, in 1951. They moved to Canada, where their daughter was born in 1952, while awaiting Immigrant sponsorship to the United States by his wife’s sister and brother-in-law. He was very proud of becoming an American Citizen, adopting the United States as his permanent home, and being a true Patriot!
Once in America, he worked very hard to support his wife and two children and to establish a lasting career path. He completed his degree in electronics in 1967 while working full time at University Hospital in Cleveland, Ohio and managing a luxury apartment complex in Cleveland Heights. The degree enabled him to relocate his family to the greater Seattle area where he became a Machinist for the Boeing Company, specializing in Precision Tool Setting. Throughout his career, he received many awards and recognition for exceptional performance. He was well liked by co-workers who called him “Ski” and he was an active Union Member. He loved his job and he retired after 28 years in 1996 at the age of 67.
Janusz was the foundation of his family and proud of both his children whom he remained very close to. He and his wife would visit their son in Portland every other weekend in the 1980’s when he was attending Chiropractic college. They traveled to many of his softball tournaments in the 80’s and 90’s and became terrific cheerleaders. After retirement, he enjoyed doing “maintenance work” at his son’s Chiropractic clinic as well as being an interpreter for patients who had language difficulties: he was fluent in Dutch, German, Polish, Russian, and English. He was an invaluable presence to the office and patients.
When his daughter moved to California in the 1970’s, he and his wife spent many vacations down there until her eventual return to Seattle in 1993. California became their second home.
When Janusz became a grandfather, it was one of his greatest joys and he cherished the time spent with his grandson babysitting when he was little and then watching him grow into a fine young man like his father. He thoroughly enjoyed going to his grandson’s baseball and football games. It was family time well spent.
He had so many interests throughout his life: He was an exceptional photographer; he was a short wave radio operator; he had a keen interest in World War II and world history; he loved to dance; he listened to the big bands like Benny Goodman, Lawrence Welk, Xavier Kugat, Louis Satchmo; he loved listening to the crooners like Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Bing Crosby, Andy Williams and all the greats of his time; he walked or rode a bicycle to work every day for exercise; he began running in his 50’s and enjoyed competing in 10k’s; he was a profound supporter of healthy eating habits and taking vitamins and supplements; he loved to read and research.
Janusz was highly intelligent, well read and a very hard worker. He had a keen interest in researching everything he took an interest in. He was analytic, organized, and meticulous in everything he did. He touched the lives of everyone he came in contact with or ever spoke to because he was genuinely interested in their histories. He could have written a book about his life experiences. He was honest and truthful and when he gave his word he could be trusted not to change his mind.
Among the quotes he would be remembered for were: Fight for your rights; You made your bed, now sleep in it; I don’t care what they say about you, you’re alright; Victory at sea; Cool it with the boom boom; Give ’em a shnooka ball!
He was a good man!
Very nice memorial for a good man who did a lot in life and loved his family!
Thank you for sharing your fathers story of a life well lived.
What a wonderful and wise father you had! I spoke Polish, Ukrainian and Russian languages with him and he was fluent in all, he was always smiling and excited to practice speaking different languages with me and sharing the history of our homeland countries! Very kind and pleasant man! Hugs and love to the family! May God bless you!