Gajewski, Bernard

GAJEWSKI, SMALL, OLSON

Posted By: Wagner (email)
Date: 4/2/2011 at 17:45:32

Source: The Wapello Republican, December 2, 2010 accompanied by a photo.
Bernard Gajewski

Bernard Gajewski died at his home near Gladstone, IL on Sunday, November 28, 2010 at the age of 93. “Ski” as his Wapello area friends and family knew him, was married to Verna Small of Wapello. He was preceded in death by Verna in 1985 and his daughter, Dianna, in 2005.

He is survived by his son, Dan, of Salisbury, NC and his daughter, Connie, of Tucson, AZ. Ski and Verna had five grandchildren and one great-grandson.

In 1996 Ski married Lucy Olson of Gladstone, IL. He is survived by Lucy and her four sons Bob, Glenn, Rick, and Jerry and their families.

Ski was the son of Christopher and Frances Gajewski of Sioux City, IA. He had four sisters and two brothers.

Ski enlisted in the Navy in 1936 and travelled extensively as he served aboard the USS TEXAS and other aircraft carriers as a Chief Aviation Machinist. He retired in 1956 after 20 years of continuous service and settled into farming south of Wapello.

An active member of the Scottish Rite for many years, Ski was enrolled as a Noble of the KAABA Shrine in 1961.

Ski was a founding member of the Louisa County Art Guild. Over the course of 60 years he worked in oil, acrylic, pastel and sculpture. His work has hung in libraries, businesses and homes throughout Southeastern Iowa for decades. In addition, Ski’s sign work could be seen during the 60s and 70s on commercial vehicles, stock cars, and area billboards. He is shown here with his mural at the USPS Museum in Morning Sun. More recently, Ski and Lucy have been active in the Society of Great River Poets, through which Ski had become a writer of poetry.

Services are being arranged through Prugh Funeral Services in Burlington.

Visitation with Masonic rites will be held Thursday from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. at Prugh.

Mass including full military rites will be held at 10:00 a.m. Friday at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Burlington. Following a luncheon, the procession will follow to the Wapello Cemetery.

A memorial has been established for the Shriners KAABA Temple, PO Box 3627, Davenport, IA 52808.

NOTE; I am not related and have no further information.