Sawicki, Walter

Walter Sawicki, 98, passed away on Tuesday March 21st, 2017 at the Oakville Trafalgar Memorial Hospital, a peaceful conclusion to an extraordinary life. He leaves behind his son Edward and daughter-in-law Myriam; his daughter Elizabeth MacIntyre and son-in-law Trevor; his son Alex and daughter-in-law Sheila; his adoring grandchildren Ainsley & Allie MacIntyre and Lauren, Graham & Cassandra Sawicki; his sister Josephine Dolezinski, nephew Rick (wife Heidi) and his dear extended family in Louisiana. He was predeceased by his wife, Irene, his parents Maria & Anthony and his sister Genevieve Sawicki. Walter was born on April 14th, 1918 in Poland. By his own telling he was a mischievous child who loved nature and excelled at geography. He served in the Polish Army during The Second World War, fighting in both the North African & Italian campaigns, including the bloody Battle of Monte Casino. Following the war he met the “true love of his life”, Irene, who he would gaze at in unfailing adoration until her death in 1998. They married in March of 1946. Walter came to Canada in 1948, settling in Sudbury, Ontario to work as a hard rock miner for Inco. He and Irene had three children; Edward, Elizabeth & Alex, and he would always consider their happiness to be his greatest achievement. Walter and Irene established a life full of friends and family, of celebrations and parties, of laughter and memorable meals, all within the red brick house that Walter designed and built himself. A chorus of “Sto lat!” (Polish for 100 years!) could frequently be heard around the dining room table where there was never a shortage of conversation or wine. Walter had an enthusiasm for life that awed and inspired everyone who knew him. He was a prolific gardener, with a gift for bringing plants and flowers of all kinds to their brightest blooms. He was a natural storyteller who could entertain guests for hours with tales from his own life and from history. Walter’s intellectual curiosity remained a force throughout his life. He was a devoted viewer of CNN and was always happy to discuss politics and current events, even if he sometimes needed to ask his granddaughters “What is this ‘Facebook’?” when his Polish-to-English dictionary failed him. He read biographies and histories and books on business and economics. He could recite capital cities and their approximate populations from countries around the world with ease. Walter was very active in the Sudbury Polish Community. He was on the Committee to build St. Casimir’s Polish Church and a very active member of the Polish Combatants Association serving on the executive for many years. Walter spent the last fifteen months of his life down in Oakville, Ontario with his daughter Elizabeth & family. He lived joyfully and independently until the very end and he leaves behind a legacy of unparalleled strength, dignity, generosity and love. Visitation to be held at the Jackson & Barnard Funeral Home, 233 Larch Street, Sudbury Monday, March 27th from 5-8:00 P.M. with prayers at 6:30 P.M. Funeral Mass to be held at St. Casimir’s Church, 210 Paris Street, Sudbury Tuesday, March 28th at 10:00 A.M. Interment in the Civic Memorial Cemetery, Donations to Cystic Fibrosis Canada or the Canadian Cancer Society would be appreciated.