Mieczyslaw Blazewicz

Mieczyslaw (Mike) Blazewicz of Zebulon, NC, passed away at home in the embrace of his family, on January 2, 2017 at the age of 88. He was born in theVillage of Balinka in northeastern Poland to the late Jozef Blazewicz and Anna Sedleski. He lived his life with purpose and gusto—always with a great sense of humor and mischief. As a child of 11 his family had been forced from their home and marched to the Siberian Gulag work camps of WWII. At 13, he was one of only 1,000 children saved by a Catholic children’s relief organization. . Alone, without his family, at age 11 he was sent on a month-long journey by cattle train through the Soviet Union and Persia to the relief organization’s camp in Jamnager, India. At age 18, with little hope of contact from family in Poland, Mike left India for work in Isere, France, near Grenoble. He lived in France for 10 years, married Eugenia Pacek and had three children. He and his family later emigrated to the United States under the auspices of his older brother, Joe’s, sponsorship. Once in the U.S., Mike wholeheartedly embraced the American dream, felt he had found his true home and was able to provide a good life to his wife and five children. His wife, Eugenia, died in 1995. Mike moved from Brooklyn to New Jersey where he was closer to his work. He met and married Toni Overton. When he retired at the age of 74, they moved to Zebulon, North Carolina. In retirement, Mike embraced his love of the out-of-doors transforming his once-bare four acres into a gardener’s paradise complete with vegetable garden, fruit grove and koi pond. He always enjoyed new experiences and adventures. He loved to travel, especially throughout Europe. He skied for the first time at age 70 and flew down his first zip line at 75. His love of life, and all that it had to offer, never diminished with age. May he continue his journey in peace. Mike is survived by his wife Toni Overton Blazewicz, children; Christina Matousek (Rick), Irene Lebovics (Irv), Marilyn Rotundo (George),Evelyn Acosta (Rudolfo), Helena Overton Nevicosi, grandchildren; Mia Rotundo Olbrys (Matt), Bill Matousek (Lina), Ian Rotundo, Vinnie Rotundo, Melissa Rotundo, Joan Pardo (Sam), Matt Matousek (Christina), Isabella Acosta, Ivan Acosta and Spencer Overton, as well as 8 great grandchildren. Mike was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife Eugenia, his brothers Wladyslaw and Joseph, his sisters Veronica and Wincenta, and his son Richard. A visitation will be held on January 6, 2017 at 10:00 am until 11:30 am with a service starting at 11:30 am at Renaissance Funeral Home. The graveside service will take place following the funeral service at 12:30 pm at Gethsemane Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the following organizations: The Stork Project, a non-profit providing Welcome Bundles for (New Hampshire) newborns in need; www.thestorkproject.org Duke HomeCare & Hospice, Durham, NC; https://dhch.duhs.duke.edu/hospice; https://www.gifts.duke.edu/medpp

Mieczyslaw Blazewicz

April 13, 1928 - January 2, 2017