Roman Strzeciwilk

After a grueling two-year battle with a very aggressive form of cancer, our Lord called Roman Strzeciwilk to his home. Roman was surrounded by his closest family. The son of Bronisława and the late Roman Sr., he was born in 1961 in Biłgoraj, Poland. He studied Library Science at the Marie Skłodowska-Curie University in Lublin. His creative mind, love of literature, and artistic soul reflected his passion----poetry writing. He believed that every aspect of life is an act of art. In 1988, Roman immigrated to the United States. After meeting his wife, Janina, in 1999, they established residence in Staten Island. Immediately, he became involved in the life of the Polish-American community on Staten Island. However, his involvement was greatest with the Staten Island Pulaski Day Parade Committee. Roman was very proud to be chosen as 2016 Marshal of the Pulaski Day Parade Committee. At that time, he was also fortunate to become a member of Local 20 Carpenters’ Union. Roman was the caring father of two children, Kasper and Magdalena. Appreciating the value of an excellent education, he also made sure that his children would be bi-lingual, versatile in both English and Polish. He also took them to the Polish Cultural Center, Clark, NJ, three times every week to participate in Polish supplementary school and in the Polish Scouting Organization until their successful completion of Polish high school. Roman used his education and knowledge in the field of library science to actively volunteer at the library of the Center. He initiated cataloging and organization of their huge selection of Polish books, and restored a large number of damaged books to preserve them for future generations of Polish-Americans. Using his artistic and carpentry skills he also built cabinets and prepare decoration for school events. Roman proved himself to be a true friend to many individuals. He was always there to help others in need, whether actively with physical help or simply giving advice based on his own previous experiences. Roman was a man with great charm and a unique sense of humor. Everyone who knew him will attest to that. Even during his final weeks, after being admitted to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, he was a lively character and a memorable patient. Joking with staff and friends, he managed to leave a smile on everyone’s face. He hoped to the very end that he would recover----a fighter till his very last moment. We will all be missing you dearly!

Roman Strzeciwilk

February 10, 1961 - October 30, 2018