COUNCIL #6481 - MOUNT PROSPECT REMEMBERS |
Stanley Martin passed away peacefully in his sleep on December 31, 2015. He was 87 years, 9 months, and 9 days old when he passed. He is survived by his wife of 59 years Evelyn, his sister Stella, his sons Andrew (Naomi) and Rob (Yvonne), his daughters Angela (Marialisa) and Marianne (Jay), his grandchildren Justin, Jacob, Jenna, Holly. Stanley and Evelyn were congregants of St. Theresa and St. Thomas Becket Catholic Church. Stanley was born in Olean, NY on March 22, 1928 to Andrzej Martysiewicz and Aniela Kalisz Martysiewicz. When Stanley's parents immigrated to America, the Martiewciewicz name was shortened to Martin at Ellis Island, and when Stanley was born both names were noted on his birth certificate. He spent his childhood from age 3 to age 17 in Przeciszow, Poland a town adjacent to Oswiecim. As a young teen in occupied Poland Stanley was used as town- conscripted labor to drive a food wagon feeding the prisoners of war building Auschwitz-Birkenau. Later at age 17 he was taken by the Russian Army to drive a supply wagon for a squad of soldiers and witnessed the liberation of the Auschwitz-Birkenau camp by the Russian Army. Stanley returned to America in 1947 and resumed his life as Stanley Martin, his American name. He served in the US Army during the Korean War and achieved the rank of Corporal while serving in the Headquarters Finance Unit running payroll at Fort Lewis. He went on to become an accountant and had a prosperous career at Kraft Foods, Robert R. Anderson Construction Company and as an independent tax consultant. Stanley and Evelyn's lifelong dream was to provide a better life for their children. Their love and support nurtured their four children who went on to become a Doctor and Psychiatrist, a Director of IT & Software Engineering, an expert in Counter-Terrorism for the U.S. government, and a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. Stanley volunteered most of his adult life as a fundraiser for special needs children's programs and was active in the American Legion as a Commander and the Knights of Columbus as a Grand Knight. He also enjoyed many nights at the poker table and was a smooth dancer. Stanley and Evelyn's financial and sponsorship support for their relatives still living in Poland was part of the strong grassroots foundation of the eventual social and political changes in Poland |