Janusz N. Dominik

Janusz N. DOMINIK, MD Dr Dominik was born in the very beautiful and cultured city of Cra cow, Poland, in 1926, and died in Seattle on 10 July, 2010, after hav ing recently turned 84. Like Odys seus, 'he had seen the cities of many men and knew their minds'; and had survived War, displacement, and adjustments to years spent first in Ireland and later in the US. He retained a great gusto for life to the last, and had enjoyed gatherings of friends, singing Karaoke, and planning some upcoming trips. He had a very hard War, and fought in the Warsaw Uprising, in which he was wounded, spent time in a German POW camp to wards the end of the War; was sent to a DP camp after the war; and somehow then found an opportunity to study Medicine in the beautiful West of Ireland, city of Galway, where he used to make house calls to remote Con nemara cottages, exclusively Iri sh-speaking, to which he was therefore accompanied by an interpreter. He thus knew Ireland better than most people not born there; and was very fond of tradi tional Irish music. He there met and married the love of his life Maura (Mary), an outstanding surgical nurse, with whom he worked for some years in Ireland and Britain, and later in the US. He then practiced Internal Medicine for many years in Seattle and was well known in many hospitals; and he also worked in several clinics and pro vided consultation to the US Post Office. In their youth they were accomplished dancers and were very active in the Washington Athletic Club, to which they were very generous in inviting fortu nate friends on special occasions. He was and is beloved in many communities of Seattle, including the Polish, the Filipino, and the Irish ones, and was a very loyal supporter of Dom Polski, the Polish Hall here. He remained eager to learn new things to the very end; and at the onset of a long siege of recurrent multiple illnesses over the past year, with many hospitalizations, he had taken a trip to Costa Rica to improve his Spanish, though alas he in fact did so the hard way, by a prolonged hospitaliza tion there. In his last year he was often thought to be terminally ill; as had also been the case some years ago while his beloved Maura was still alive; but he re peatedly amazed family, friends and physicians by a vigorous, rapid return to zestful life, as for example when on one occasion, he had received the Last Rites but was found by us the following morning enthusiastically dispos ing of a large plate of pancakes! He was unable to come back, however, from the two strokes which ended his life, in what all felt to be a mercifully rapid and unconscious manner. He is survived by his two older sisters, Jadviga, of New York City, and Alicja of Poland, to each of whom he was 'the younger brother'; by other family in Po land to include his grandniece Agatha and great grandniece Pola, who were staying with him at the time of his death; and by Maura's family in Ireland, the Dennedy's of County Mayo, sev eral of whom will be flying in for his funeral; and by his beloved Urtula Family, of Seattle, who lovingly cared for him and includ ed him warmly in their family as an adopted Grandfather. Funeral Mass will be celebrated Wednesday, 21 July, 2010 at 11:00 AM at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 732 18th Ave E, Seattle, 98112; followed by burial at Lake View Cemetery next to his dear Maura; only a few blocks from his home on Howe Street of so many years. After the gravesite prayers, there will be a Wake, starting at about 12:45 pm, at the Dom Polski (Polish Hall) , at 1714 18th Ave between Olive and How ell (there is a parking lot); and will thus continue Janusz's loyal support of that organization, of Polish Community activities; and of their noble efforts to help families who lost their loved ones in the postwar catastrophes such as the deportations to Siberia. Any remembrances should thus be sent to The Polish Home Foun dation, 1714 18th Ave, Seattle 98122 in lieu of flowers. He was the embodiment of the 'Gallant Pole'. Please sign the online guest book at www.legacy.com. Hoffner Fisher & Harvey