Stephanie Wrobel Palasek, longtime resident of Port Washington, passed away Sept. 6 surrounded by her family. She was 97 years old. She moved to the St. Mary’s Assisted Living facility in Lawrenceville, NJ, in 2009 to be closer to her family.
She leaves a daughter, Regina Palasek Wall; three granddaughters, Elizabeth Ann Wall-O’Brien, Regina Ellen Wall (Nina), Amy Victoria Wall-Lerman and two grandsons, Robert Emmet Christopher Wall and Craig Douglas Wall; six great grandchildren and many nieces, nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, Stephen Palasek, a World War II veteran who passed away March 31, 1993; her parents Maryjanna Kowalska Wrobel of Borawe, Poland, Antoni Wrobel of Sleczychy, Poland; and an older brother, Chester Wrobel, founder of the Polish American Museum of Port Washington.
The Wrobel family came to the U.S. in 1912. They moved back to Poland in 1921, leaving there for Cedoux, Saskatchewan, Canada and returning to Port Washington in 1929.
During World War II, while her husband served with the armed forces in Europe, Stephanie worked at Grumman Aircraft in Manorhaven. She went on to work as chief supervisor at Bell Telephone in Port Washington and retired after 25 years of service. She was a talented cook, creating, inventing and improving upon a variety of main courses and desserts. As a superb craftsperson and decorator, she created magnificent knitted, crocheted and embroidered pieces that are cherished by family and were sold to raise money for many charities.
She contributed to the Gift of Life, numerous Veterans associations and United Nations Child Hunger programs. She was an active member of the Polish American Citizens Association of Port Washington, the Kosciuszko Foundation and the Polish American Museum. She was also an active member of the Resident’s Council of St. Mary’s Morris Hall. She enjoyed an active life participating in many of the varied activities at St. Mary’s Assisted Living ,where she made many fond friendships.
A Mass of Christian burial was celebrated on Thursday, Sept. 10, at 11:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Rosary Chapel in Lawrenceville, NJ.
Stephanie Palasek was laid to rest with her husband and parents in Port Washington on Friday, Sept. 11 at 11:30 a.m. at Nassau Knolls Cemetery, 500 Port Washington Blvd.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be sent to the Wounded Warrior Project, 4899 Belfort Road, Suite 300, Jacksonville, FL.
For more information, visit www.support.woundedwarriorproject.org. To send a condolence to the family visit www.poulsonvanhise.com.
