Jerry Szapkiw, 92, Army Veteran
Jerry Szapkiw, 92, of formerly of Lorain, fell asleep in the Lord, Monday, July 2, 2012, in Paxton Illinois following a brief illness.
He was born July 9, 1919 in Pitheici, Ukraine. He immigrated to the Lorain in 1951. He moved to Paxton in May 2011.
Mr. Szapkiw worked at the American Shipbuilding Co. Lorain as a chipper. He also worked as a press operator for Fruehauf Trailer Company in Avon Lake for 19 years until 1970. Then he retired in 1984 from Lorain City Schools, where he worked as a maintenance man for 14 Years.
Jerry was a member, trustee and Usher of Saint Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church Lorain. He was also a member of the Ukrainian Home, Lorain, American Ukrainian Youth Association in Wellington and Ukrainian Congress of America. Jerry attended Full Gospel Christian Fellowship in Paxton. He went back home to visit Ukraine twice. He was a generous man who liked to reach out to help people. Jerry served in the Ukrainian Democratic Army.
He will be dearly missed by his son Nicholas (Sharon) Szapkiw of Paxton, Illinois; and grandchildren and great grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife of 46 years Eleanor (née Wolfick) in March 1995; son John Gunther Szapkiw, and a son in infancy.
His family will receive friends Saturday from 9 until his funeral service at 10 A.M. in the Richard J. Reidy Funeral Home, 1783 East 31st Street, South Lorain, (440) 277-8164. Very Rev. Father Dennis Kristof. Pastor of Saint Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church will officiate. Burial will follow in Ridge Hill Memorial Park, Amherst Twsp.
Memorial contributions may be made to Saint Mary Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 2304 East 34th Street, Lorain, OH 44055.
For further information and to sign the online register book, see Reidyfuneral.com.