Erwin J. "Ed" ZMARZLY

Zmarzly - Erwin J. "Ed"
84, a resident of West Seneca, NY., passed away on August 21, 2023. Mr. Zmarzly was born on September 14, 1938 in Buffalo, NY; the eldest child of the late Erwin J. Zmarzly and Josephine B. Kaplan. He attended Burgard High School, where he was studying to be an airplane mechanic. After graduation in 1955, Erwin joined the U.S. Air Force and left for basic training at Sampson Air Force Base in Geneva, NY. He was then sent to military school and stationed to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware. He had been active in Boy Scouts as a young man, and when he saw that there was no troop on post, he spoke with the base commander and eventually started the first Cub Scout troop on the base. He received orders to report to Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, TX., where he was asked by the Texas Boy Scouts headquarters to serve as a commissioner for Troop 18. He then served as a neighborhood commissioner for the Alamo Area Council. He was transferred to Bolling Air Force Base in Washington D.C. for two years as a range instructor. When he was transferred to Andrew Air Force Base, he received the "Tiger Award." During his military career, Erwin attended a number of schools, such as Classification Specialist, Personnel Technician in 1959, Code of Conduct, Professional Investigation, Law Enforcement/Corrections, Federal Jail Operations, Noncommission Officer Academy and Smith & Wesson School for Maintenance of Pistols and Automatics. After 11 years in the Air Force, he came to West Seneca and worked for the Erie County Sheriff's Department for two years. In 1973, he worked for the West Seneca Police Department. Erwin joined the 107th Fighter Squadron at Niagara Falls Air Force Base as a combat arms instructor and was assigned to the Security Police Fight. After 35 combined years of active and reserve duty, Erwin retired his uniform. He was a board member of the West Seneca Senior Center, and a member of the VFW Post 2940 and Legion Post 735. Erwin is survived by his daughter, Connie Jensen of Vermont; his granddaughters, Stephanie (Harlan) McCoy, Anna (Timothy) Webb; and great-grandsons, Gabriel McCoy and Oliver Webb; brother Leo (Josephine) Gorkiewicz; as well as many nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Erwin Zmarzly; mother, Josephine Gorkiewicz; stepfather, Leon Gorkiewicz; daughter, Michelle Randall; brother, Eugene Zmarzly and nephew, Leon Gorkiewicz. Honorary Pallbearers will be Harlan McCoy, Gabriel McCoy, Leo Gorkiewicz, Joseph Gorkiewicz, Vincent Gorkiewicz and Timothy Webb.
The family will receive friends from 2 - 4 pm on Sunday, August 27, 2023 at the LAKESIDE MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, INC. 1340 Union Rd., West Seneca 716-674-5776. A Mass of Christian Burial at Fourteen Holy Helpers Church in West Seneca on Monday, August 28, 2023 at 10 am. Please assemble at the church. A committal service will immediately follow at St. Matthew's Cemetery in West Seneca, NY. The Father Walter Gabowski will officiate. In lieu of flowers, the family requests those who wish to express sympathy to consider making a donation in Erwin's name to www.savethechildren.org.