OBITUARY: William J. Pastuszek, UNA leader, Pennsylvania civic activist, 78 (07/25/04)

OBITUARY

William J. Pastuszek, UNA leader, Pennsylvania civic activist, 78

SWARTHMORE, Pa. - William J. Pastuszek, a leading activist in th Ukrainian National Association and a prominent leader in local communities throughout Delaware County, Pennsylvania, died on July 14, at the age of 78.

Mr. Pastuszek served over 20 years as an advisor and auditor of the Ukrainian National Association, was an honorary member of the UNA General Assembly and served as president of UNA Branch 231 for 24 years.

In the late 1940s and early 1950s, he sponsored over 200 displaced Ukrainians who immigrated to the United States, helping them with housing and employment. During the last decade he gave similar assistance to the next wave of Ukrainian immigrants.

For 35 years, he led the Ukrainian Independence Day ceremonies on January 22 of each year in Chester's historic courthouse. He was a 57-year member and past director of the Ukrainian American National Home in Chester and president of Delaware County's Ukrainian Congress Committee of America for 25 years.

Mr. Pastuszek was a 24-year member of Ss. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Wilmington, Del., and served on its board as auditor and trustee. This past February he was elected a lifetime honorary trustee. Earlier he served as president of the council of St. Mary's Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Chester, Pa., during which time he joined in building the rectory.

In addition, he served for 20 years as a member of the Metropolitan Council of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of the U.S.A. He is a recipient of a certificate of blessing from Archbishop (later Patriarch) Mstyslav of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in recognition of his outstanding service to the Church.

Born in Chester, Pa., on January 19, 1926, Mr. Pastuszek graduated from Juniata College with a B.A. and attended classes at Elizabethtown College, Pennsylvania Military College and University of Pennsylvania Law School. After graduation from Pennsylvania Military Prep School and service in the U.S. Army during World War II, Mr. Pastuszek held a teaching certificate in secondary education and briefly taught at Chester High School and Smedley Junior High School.

He married Theodozia Kiziuk in 1948.

At the age of 26, he became one of the youngest members of the board of directors of Chester School District. He served as director, vice-president and president from 1954 to 1963.

A Swarthmore, Pa., resident for 41 years, Mr. Pastuszek established his real estate office in Chester, Pa., in 1947 and later relocated his business to Swarthmore in 1963. During his 57 years in the Delaware County Real Estate industry, Mr. Pastuszek developed more than 1,000 commercial, industrial, self storage garages, apartments and residential units in Maryland, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

Among his many accomplishments were the redevelopment of a major portion of the Swarthmore Business District, and the establishment of Theodozia Gardens. He developed new residential apartments and initiated other new business opportunities in the borough.

In 1991 Mr. Pastuszek was awarded the Distinguished Community Achievement Award by the Community of Lower Chichester Township's Board of Commissioners. Subsequent contributions to improve housing were recognized by the Pennsylvania municipalities of Marcus Hook, Chester, Trainer, Swarthmore, Morton and Lower Chichester. The Lower Chichester Township Board of Commissioners on February 21, 2000, renamed Ormond Street as Pastuszek Boulevard. Similarly, the Township of Chester renamed West 10th Street as Pastuszek Court.

In 1985 the Delaware County Council presented Mr. Pastuszek with the Distinguished Business Achievement Award for his contributions to the overall economic vitality of Delaware County.

An honorary senior member and one of the original charter founders of the Delaware County Real Estate Appraisers, Mr. Pastuszek completed 7,000 appraisals. In 1999 he was elected realtor emeritus for 50 years of service. He was a past vice-president of the Chester Real Estate Board, past director of the Housing Cooperation of Chester and a past director of the Delaware County Board of Realtors. Mr. Pastuszek also was a past president of the People Savings and Loan Association of the Delaware Valley, since merged with First Keystone Federal Savings Bank.

Mr. Pastuszek was honored as Man of the Year by the Delaware County Real Estate Appraisers and the Swarthmore Business Association. In 1990 Mr. Pastuszek was presented with the Gold Rose Award from the Rose Tree Festival Committee of Delaware County for contributions to the Ukrainian America Celebration and Rose Tree, Delaware County, Pa.

Mr. Pastuszek's civic and community activity included membership in the Swarthmore Rotary Club beginning in 1971. Recently he became a senior excused member. He served as club president in 1976, and is a Paul Harris Fellow. Mr. Pastuszek is a former member of the Union League of Philadelphia and an honorary member of the Swarthmore Centennial Foundation.

Since 1953 he was a member of Chester Lodge 236 of Free and Accepted Masons, and was awarded his 50 years of Masonic Service Emblem in 2003.

Mr. Pastuszek is predeceased by his father, Michael Pastuszek, and mother, Mary Pastuszek, and six brothers. He is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Theodozia; sons, William J. Pastuszek Jr., with his wife, Ellen Smith, of Newton, Mass.; Alexander R. Pastuszek and wife, Katie Newsom Pastuszek, of Swarthmore; daughter, Lydia M. Pastuszek, and husband, Brian Monahan, of Sudbury, Mass.; six grandchildren, Danya, Jonathan, Jenna, Derek, Lesia and Daniel; and two brothers, Harry Pastuszek of Glen Mills, Pa., and Michael Pastuszek of West Chester, Pa.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to The Building Fund of Ss. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 1406 Philadelphia Pike, Wilmington, DE 19809.

A panakhyda service was offered at the James M. Brower Funeral Home in Wallingford, Pa., on July 19. The funeral service was held on July 20 at Ss. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church, followed by burial at Lawncroft Cemetery.

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