Alexius Stanko

stanko - Alexius After a lengthy illness, June 23, 2008, husband of the late Dolores (Lubecke) Stanko; father of Linda (Ed) Yankowski, David, Gary (Christine Gura) Stanko, Deborah (John) Crawford, Sharon (Rick Sonntag) Stanko and Karen Klinger; grandfather of Suzanne (Randy) Magee, Kristi (Matt) Pritchard, John Crawford Jr., Wesley Stanko, Shane and Shawn Klinger; great-grandfather of Brianna, Samantha and Edward; brother of the late John, Mary (late Michael), Nicholas, Nick (late Lottie) Stanko, and Katherine (late Stephen) Tislaretz; also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins. Family will be present Tuesday and Wednesday 2-4 and 7-9 PM, at the (Blasdell/Lackawanna Chapel), JOHN J. KACZOR FUNERAL HOME, INC., 3450 South Park Avenue, where prayers will be said Thursday morning at 8:45, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Church at 9:30. Memorials may be made to Hospice Buffalo, Inc. Interment in Hillcrest Cemetery. Alex was a WW II veteran who served as a paratrooper with the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, attached to the 101st Airborne Division. He saw battle in France, Germany, Belgium, participating in the Battle of the Bulge, (Nuts to the Germans). He was wounded in France and received the Purple Heart for his injuries. After the war, he worked as an electrician for Republic Steel before retiring in 1982 and was a member of the Big Tree Volunteer Fire Dept., from 1947 to 1964. He was active in local Democratic politics in the late 1960s. Alex was a member of VFW Leonard Post 6251, Disabled American Post 135 and American Legion Matthew Glab Post 1477. Alex was active for many years in several area Polka Social Clubs, including Polka Varieties, White Falcons, and Polka Boosters.