Roman Anthony Ciesinski

Roman Anthony Ciesinski

Age 89, of Hockessin, Delaware, died Friday, June 10, 2011, at home, following a short period of illness. Five days before his passing, the U.S. Veterans Administration awarded him the Order of the Purple Heart with two Oak Clusters, the Prisoner of War Medal, and the Bronze Star for services rendered more than 65 years ago in World War II. The June 6 news link covering this event is:

http://www.delawareonline.com/article/20110606/NEWS/106060315/WWII-vet-s-service-suffering-recognized?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|Local|s

Ciesinski was captured by the German Army in France on Thanksgiving Day 1944, after his company engaged in a brief gun battle during which he sustained wounds he would later have to treat himself. His internment at Muhlberg lasted until June 1945 and forced labor took nearly 100 pounds off his 6'3" athletic frame. He returned home to a post-rehab assignment at Camp Upton, NY where he met his future wife Katherine Elizabeth Hansen of Long Island. Soon after, he was recruited by Bob Carpenter, his commanding officer, to play on the University of Delaware football team which won the national championship at the 1947 Cigar Bowl.

After graduation in 1949, he began a 32-year career as physical education teacher and coach at Newark High School. He assembled an overall 401 - 139 record, won 3 state championships and 16 Blue Hen Conference titles. Highlights of his success include having athletes go on to the Olympics (Chris Dunn, Carol Thompson), the NFL (Conway and Gary Hayman), and mentoring many successful coaching careers (Pat Walker, Debbie Wilson). Ciesinski was recognized for his achievements by being inducted into the Delaware Track and Field Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Delaware Sports Hall of Fame in 2003.

Since 1998, he enjoyed living in Hockessin with his companion Nellie Ray Mackie, and being patriarch for the Mackie family, including children Maryde, Jeff, Tom and BlytheAnne, and grandchildren Alyssa and James Hand, Austin and Denver Lundstrom, Shannon, Brendan, Kevin, Blythe and Luke Mackie.

He was preceded in death by his 10 sisters and brothers, all children of August and Frances Bydlowski Ciesinski of Detroit, and Katherine, his wife of 48 years. He is survived by their three children: Katherine Ciesinski (Mark Powell), professor of voice at the Eastman School of Music, Kristine Ciesinski (Norman Bailey), assistant professor of voice at Florida State University; and Raymond Ciesinski (Phoebe Eliopoulos and daughters Alexa and Nicole), a software sales specialist with Symantec Corporation.

A funeral service will be held at Grace United Methodist Church, 900 Washington Street Wilmington, DE 19801 on Thursday, June 16, at 11 am. Burial will be in the Head of Christiana Cemetery, Newark, DE. Visitation will be held at the DOHERTY FUNERAL HOME, 3200 Limestone Road Wilmington, DE 19808 on Wednesday, June 15, from 6-9 pm.

To send online condolences,

please visit:

www.dohertyfh.com

302-999-8277