Jan M Chrobok D.O.

Jan Marian Chrobok's strong spirit left his body at sundown on November 1, 2022. He continued
his psychiatric practice up to his last day. Jan was born August 15,1929 in Katowice, Poland to
Colonel Pawel and Maria Chrobok. His parents' unshakeable faith and courage to take risks
was a model for perseverance which he reflected in his own life.
Jan had a bucolic childhood leaving a city apartment for a farm in 1933 with his three siblings.
Early signs of wanting to know how things worked steered him into mischief and continued to
fuel his curiosity and sense of humor. A dramatic course of miracles took place between the
German invasion of Poland in September 1939 and their escape on the last boat leaving
Biarritz, France for Liverpool, England in June 1940.
Colonel Pawel's military service allowed for haven in London until the bombing worsened.
Through scholarships, Jan went to Stonyhurst in 1942. There he built a deeper connection to his
parent's strong Catholic foundation and experimented with woodworking, radio transmitting, and
sports until graduation in 1947. Jan pursued scientific study at Borough Polytechnic while taking
odd jobs that ranged from assembly line baker, porter, and paint factory worker. After treatment
for depression, he opted for a fresh start and immigrated to the United States in January 1954.
In 1955 he was hired as a laboratory technician by Hoffman-La Roche which enabled him to
purchase his first car, a 1941 Pontiac. Soon after he was drafted into the Armed Services and
did training at Fort Dix and Fort Knox to be assigned to B Company of the 33rd Tank Battalion,
3rd Armored Division stationed in West Germany. He got his American citizenship soon after
getting honorably discharged from the Army in February 1957.
Returning to civilian life he stayed connected to his Polish roots on the social scene and enjoyed
jazz music and dancing. A job as a pharmaceutical representative for Hoffman-La Roche led
him to pursue a career in medicine. Thanks to funds from the GI bill, he was able to study at the
Philadelphia College of Medicine and in 1962 became a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.
In his last year of medical school he returned to Poland to reunite with family. Adding a trip to
Yugoslavia only to fall in love, at first sight, with Ursula Krauer, vacationing from Switzerland.
After a whirlwind courtship by mail they married in Zurich in April 1966 and returned to the
United States to complete his residency in Ohio before passing the Board exams in 1967. He
began to work as a family physician in Stirling, N.J. and also worked extra hours at Greystone
Hospital. This led to further study in human behavior and the return to New Jersey College of
Medicine in Newark for Psychiatry in 1971 after welcoming daughters Christina in 1969 and
Theresa in 1971.
They settled in Gillette where his enthusiasm for novelty brought comic relief to domestic life.
While gaining experience at the Emergency Room at Martland Medical Center and the Veterans
Hospital in East Orange and Lyons he completed his residency in June of 1975. Juggling
multiple physician jobs, he passed the boards two years later enabling him to join the staff at
Morristown Memorial Hospital while building a private practice with the help of Ursula.
Between 1975-1980 he served the Morris County Jail and worked closely with Orthopedic
Surgeon Bert Kummel to address post traumatic injury. From 1980 until the present, Jan
continued his education to develop a balance between psychopharmacology and therapy. He
provided encouragement for patients to work through trauma and build faith in themselves no
matter what. He often prescribed listening to the Frank Sinatra song `That's Life´.
He was a devoted husband, father, mentor and friend, an avid traveler, voracious reader, patriot,
and physician whose best memories with friends and family took place on Long Beach Island.
At the time of death, he was adapting his memoirs with the help of his family into a book that
could serve those in need after he died. His remains will be interred in a niche at the Gates Of
Heaven Cemetery where his parents were laid to rest. A private burial and Army tribute is being
arranged. More information and an opportunity to share your memories can be found on
https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/drjanmchrobok