Józef Machnik

1919 - 2020

Józef Machnik, 100, of Hickory and formerly Gastonia, died peacefully in his home at Kingston Residence of Hickory on Sunday, August 9, 2020.
Józef was born on September 3, 1919, less than a year after the end of World War I, to Wojciech and Maria Rachwal Machnik, in his family's home in the small village of Suchodól, near Krosno, in southeastern Poland. He was the third of nine children.
Józef excelled in his primary and secondary educational instruction in Krosno, Poland.
The early years of Józef's adult life read like scenes from one of Hollywood's best World War II movies:
In September, 1938, after matriculating with honors, Józef reported to Cadet/Officers School in Przemysl, Poland, to begin a mandatory year of military service.
In December, 1938, Józef was allowed one week's military leave to visit loved ones for the Christmas holiday. It would be 24 years before he would be able to revisit his family. On September 1, 1939, two days before Józef's 20th birthday and two weeks before completion of his obligatory military training, World War II began: Germany invaded Poland from the west and two weeks later, Russia invaded Poland from the east.
Having escaped, on foot, the onslaught of the German and Soviet invasions, Józef was able to cross the border into neutral Hungary where he was confined in a guarded internment camp – safe from the attack and occupation of his beloved Poland but no longer free. After studying the guard-posts hour-by-hour, at midnight in late February, 1940 Józef escaped via an unsecured gate to seek assistance and direction from the Polish Embassy in Budapest.
Józef was provided civilian clothing, a new identity (Józef Skibinski) and a new passport. He was given a train ticket and a bit of money which would take him across the border into Croatia. His personal initiative drove him by foot and train from Croatia though Slovenia and Italy to France where in April, 1940, he was again assisted by the Polish Embassy and was permitted to rest and regain his true identity and rank. In Co?tquidan, France, Józef joined a growing battalion of Polish volunteers to the French army and was issued a khaki-green French army uniform. In May, 1940, Germany invaded Belgium and in June German troops conquered the invincible Maginot line in northern France and began moving toward Paris. Józef was on the run again.
With their division in France disbanded, Józef and a close friend, hearing report of Germany's advances, learned that Britain was sending two destroyers across the English Channel to help with the evacuation of soldiers. Józef managed the 40 mile distance to the French coast and boarded one of those ships destined for the UK. After arriving in Britain, Józef joined the first Polish Army unit in Scotland, whose mission was to guard the Scottish coastline. He was issued his khaki English Army uniform and began intensive lessons to learn the English language. Józef achieved the rank of Second Lieutenant.
In January, 1944, Józef responded to the request for qualified volunteers to join the British Royal Air Force to reinforce the country's fighter and bomber squadrons. In early 1945, Józef graduated as a fighter pilot and proudly changed from Army khaki into his new blue, RAF uniform, his 4th military uniform since the start of World War II. He proudly attached the beautiful, Polish silver eagle wings medallion to his new jacket.
May 7, 1945 marked the end of the war in Europe. The war in the Far East was still raging. While awaiting orders, well before his fighter unit was demobilized, J?zef invested in civilian clothing and enrolled at the Leicester College of Technology, in Leicester, England. He graduated college with a degree in Textile Technology – learning skills in knitwear production that he would make use of for the next 40 years of his life.
During his college years, J?zef met his future wife Dorothy Joan "Johanna" Bonshor, who studied Fashion Design, and they were happily married for more than 70 years. Soon after the birth of their first son, the couple emigrated from England to Toronto, Canada. Following the births of their second son and third child, a daughter, the Machnik family moved to the U.S. Employment opportunities in the textile industry took J?zef and his family to Charlotte, NC; Willingboro, NJ; and Gastonia, NC where they lived until relocating to Hickory in 2017.
In 1963, having been separated from family in Poland since the start of the War, Józef decided to risk travelling to West Berlin, through the notorious "Check Point Charlie" to East Berlin and then on to Poland. He often spoke of the depth of emotion he felt upon being reunited with the survivors of his Polish family after 24 years of separation. Following the rise of the Solidarity Movement, communism fell in Poland in 1989. Since then, with time, free enterprise has flourished in Poland as has Józef's family.
During the few years before retiring from the knitting industry in 1984, Józef earned his real estate broker's license. He especially enjoyed helping first-time homebuyers understand the process and plan for homeownership.
Józef appreciated an occasional game of golf and truly enjoyed working side-by-side with Johanna as they tended their yard and garden. His interest in national and world news was unending. He was eternally positive, cheerful, and optimistic. A gifted storyteller, Józef captivated listeners young and old and loved good conversation. After retiring, Józef began studying and was committed to playing weekly games of very competitive duplicate bridge until he decided that playing with his diminishing eyesight was unfair to his equally competitive card-playing partners.
At the age of 89, Józef learned about the House of Representatives Bill 71 (H.R.71) signed into law by President Gerald Ford in 1976. H.R.71 provides hospital and medical care to members of the armed forces of Poland or Czechoslovakia who participated in armed conflict with an enemy of the US during World War I or II, and who have been citizens of the U.S. for not less than 10 years. As a naturalized U.S. citizen and valid member of the U.S. Veteran's Administration, Józef was most grateful for the professional services and care he received from the VA for his gradually increasing visual and hearing disabilities.
Józef completed and published his memoir, "My Life Journey", by Józef Machnik, in 2015 at the age of 96. The Second Edition of that book was published in 2017.
J?zef was predeceased by his loving wife, Johanna, in January of this year. In addition to his wife and parents, he was also predeceased by seven siblings.
J?zef is survived by his brother Kazimierz, 91, who continues to reside in the original Machnik family home in Suchodól, Poland; two sons, March Machnik and wife Sue of Plainfield, IL; Jan Machnik and wife Susan Greco, of Marblehead, MA; his daughter, Julie Machnik Packer and husband Jim of Hickory; two grandsons, Jeff Machnik of Toms River, NJ and Will Packer of Lexington, KY; three granddaughters, Erin Machnik Terbecki and Husband Keith, of Lanoka Harbor, NJ; Hannah Packer of Brooklyn, NY; and Jessi Machnik of Plainfield, IL; six great-grandchildren: Tyler, JJ, Charli, Peyton, Tierney and Sawyer; best friends for 73 years: Andrzej and Ewa Milewski of Winston Salem; and extended family members in England, Norway and his beloved Poland.
Józef's family extends the utmost appreciation to the staff of Kingston Residence, Carolina Caring, and to Marsha Young, Józef's personal caregiver and wonderful friend, who provided him with quality care, support, companionship, and dignity at the end of his well-lived life.
At J?zef's request, a celebration of life and committal of ashes in the columbarium at St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Gastonia, will be held at a later date. Memorial gifts may be made to Carolina Caring, 3975 Robinson Road, Newton, NC 28658.