Stephen Nazarek

WEST PITTSTON — Stephen Nazarek, age 91, of West Pittston, went to be with his Lord on July 23, 2016.

Stephen was born in Pittsburgh on March 25, 1925, to Michael Nazarek and Stella Pilawada.

As a young boy, Stephen helped his father sell vegetables from a horse-drawn wagon in post-Great Depression Pittsburgh. He also sold newspapers on the street corner, and whatever he made, he gave to his parents to help them make ends meet.

As a young man, Stephen worked as a welder at Bethlehem steel, and at the Heinz factory in Pennsylvania. He was drafted by the U.S. Army in 1948, completing his basic training at Fort Knox, Kentucky, with qualifications as an M1 Marksman, and later stationed in Fort Bliss, Texas. Upon completion of his military service, he started his main career, and achieved master mechanic in the railroad industry in Michigan for New York Central Railroad, Penn Central, and finally retiring with Consolidated Rail Corporation (Conrail) in 1985, after 36 years of service, handling passenger and freight operations in Detroit, Ann Arbor and Willow Run, Michigan.

He also sold life insurance as a part-time job for the Ukrainian Fraternal Association for over 40 years, as he loved interacting with and getting to know all those in the Ukrainian community throughout Michigan, Pennsylvania, Illinois (Chicago) and Canada (Windsor and Toronto). He also volunteered his time in various capacities (weekly bingo, making pierogis, etc.) for St. John Ukrainian Catholic Church in Detroit and St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church in Edwardsville.

Stephens's greatest legacy was overcoming all the challenges to have a family: due to medical issues, he and his first wife Sophia were unable to conceive any children. With only a ninth grade education, love in their hearts, and a tremendous work ethic, they were able to meet all the challenges, stipulations and personal interviews from the Detroit area Catholic Social Services, and were ultimately able to adopt four children in the early 1960s, a time when adoption was not so common: Stephen Peter, Pearl Mary, Michael Daniel and Cheryl Ann. They were all baptized in the Ukrainian Catholic Church and attended St. John Ukrainian Catholic School, in Detroit.

Stephen and Sophia built a brand new house in 1964 to raise their four children at 5748 Fenton, Dearborn Heights, Michigan. Stephen was very proud of his Ukrainian Catholic heritage, spoke and read Ukrainian fluently, and wanted his children brought up with knowledge and understanding of his heritage. Stephen sang as middle tenor in Ukrainian Catholic church for over 70 years. He also loved watching early cowboy and western films (some of his favorites included John Wayne, Randolph Scott, Robert Taylor, Clint Eastwood, Clint Walker and Steve McQueen), professional baseball, college football, and his Ukrainian heritage, including all its singing, dancing, customs and food.

After the passing of his first wife, Sophia, in 1989, Stephen met and married Helen Hollock, also a Ukrainian Catholic, in 1991. They moved from Michigan to Pennsylvania in 1993. He loved and cherished his wife Helen very dearly until his death on July 23, 2016, and they did everything together, including singing in the St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church choir (where they were parish members), traveling and attending many church and Ukrainian heritage functions. They lived in several areas in Pennsylvania, including Mountain Top, Carlisle and lastly, West Pittston. At each of these city stops, they created a beautiful, peaceful home life together.

Stephen was preceded in death by his first wife, Sophia; daughter, Pearl Mary; and son, Stephen Peter Nazarek.

He is survived by his wife, Helen Nazarek, of West Pittston; daughter, Cheryl Ann Brudzynski, of Westland, Michigan; son, Michael Daniel Nazarek, of Dearborn, Michigan; grandchildren, Lawrence Brudzynski, of Westland, Michigan, Carol Brudzynski, of Westland, Michigan, Stephen Nazarek, of Garden City, Michigan, Melissa Nazarek, of Garden City, Michigan, Christopher Brumbaugh, of Gull Lake, Michigan, and Danielle Nazarek, of East Lansing, Michigan, as well as great-grandchildren, Amoura Ann, Phoenix and Athena.

Funeral viewing will be 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Russin Funeral Home, 717 Main St., Edwardsville, with prayer service at 6 p.m. The funeral will start at 10 a.m. Wednesday at the funeral home, and then proceed to Mass at 10:45 a.m. at St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church, 70 Zerby Ave., Edwardsville. Final interment will be at Calvary Cemetery, Drums.

Donations may be made, in lieu of flowers, to St. Vladimir Ukrainian Catholic Church Mortgage Fund, 70 Zerby Ave., Edwardsville, PA 18704.