Ernest Burzynski

June 3, 1921 - Oct. 22, 2007
SOUTH BEND - Ernest Burzynski, 86, died Monday surrounded by his family following a short illness. He is remembered fondly as a man for whom service to his community, his family and his God were at the center of his daily life. Ernie was born June 3, 1921, to Catherine (Tafelski) and Michael Burzynski into a proud Polish Catholic family in St. Casimir Parish on South Bend's west side. Forever a west side resident, he attended St. Casimir's Grade School and Washington High School and met his future wife, Dorothy Jozwiak. Like so many men of his generation, Ernie was called to the service of his nation half a world away. Ernie kept a picture of Dorothy close to his heart while he tended to his fellow soldiers as a member of the U.S. Army Medical Corps stationed in England. When he returned, the couple was anxious to marry on the first possible date. With all the Saturdays booked at the church well into the future, they chose another day on which their friends and relatives could celebrate, July 4, 1946. For 61 beautiful years, Ernie and Dorothy celebrated the journey of their marriage with an appropriate symbol of their love: a sky filled with fireworks. Together, Ernie and Dorothy built a life in the same community that had made them the people of integrity and energy they themselves had become. They opened a corner store called Warsaw Cut Rate, complete with a soda fountain and crepe paper window displays Ernie painstakingly staged by hand, and they ran that store together for 18 years. He worked at Studebaker for many years in addition to running the store. They reared three wonderful daughters, Janet, Kathleen and Carole, each of whom Ernie adored. He enrolled at Indiana University and he used his evenings to pursue studies in accounting. Upon completion of his studies, he began a third career as an auditor for the Indiana Department of Revenue. He formally retired from that position in 1986, but continued to help out for an additional 10 years, filling in for vacations and working during tax time. Throughout his life, Ernie devoted himself to the service of his church. He had served as the president of the St. Casimir's Holy Name Society for more than 45 years. Also a St. Casimir's, Ernie was an active member of the Married Men's Club, Breezers, the senior citizens and the Ushers Club. He was a proud Fourth Degree Knight in the local Knights of Columbus (Santa Maria Council #553) and was a member of the American Legion, Post 284, since his return from the service. Ernie will be cherished forever for all the things that he was: a man of few words, but a quick, sharp wit; a man who always believed this might just be the year for the Cubs, and who knew that Notre Dame would always come back; a hopelessly devoted husband; a master puzzle maker and the best solitaire player his grandchildren have ever seen; the Thanksgiving chef and the clean-up taskmaster; the hardest person to buy for at Christmas (because he always only wanted shoe laces); a dapper dresser who never went to church without a tie and who stayed in his good clothes all day Sunday to welcome his visitors; the perfect father, grandfather, brother and friend; and the best and biggest smile in the room. Ernie is welcomed into eternal life by his parents, and by six of his seven siblings, brothers, Frank and Zigmund, and sisters, Gladys Dabros, Helen Skowronski, Irene Ganus and Martha Skodinski. His blessedly long and joyful life on earth is celebrated by those who survive him: his widow, Dorothy; his sister and friend, Ruth (Stanley) Sparazynski; his three daughters and their spouses, Janet and Stephen Mitros, Kathleen and Richard Alexander, Carole and John Scheibelhut; his eight grandchildren and their spouses, Chip (Erin) Mitros, Dory Mitros (Michael) Durham and Kellye Mitros, Elizabeth Alexander, Sara, Nicholas, Allison and Diana Scheibelhut. They miss him terribly and they hope to live up to the challenge of the exemplary life of service he led in their midst. Friends called in the St. Joseph Funeral Home on Mayflower and Sample on Friday from 2 to 8 p.m. The Rosary was lead by St. Casimir Holy Name, Usher and married Men's Club at 7 p.m. A Mass of Resurrection will be celebrated today at Ernie's beloved St. Casimir's at 10 a.m. Entombment will follow at St. Joseph Cemetery, South Bend. For those who are unable to attend the funeral liturgy, condolences for the family may be made to www.sjfh.net.