Edward Clifford Machnowski

Born on May 19, 1952 in West Islip, New York to Richard Michael Machnowski and Marianna (Gudewill) Machnowski, Ed was the sole sibling and younger brother to Richard E. Machnowski. Ed graduated from North Babylon High School in 1970 and graduated from SUNY Farmingdale in 1972 with an associate degree in Business Administration.

“Big Ed”, as so many of his friends and colleagues called him, found his place in life by being [most often] the biggest and strongest guy in the room. Although having quite the mind for math and business, Ed was a manual labor man, through and through, taking great pride in being able to outwork colleagues half his age. Whether moving a tower of pallets on the forklift or managing a team of people on the early morning shift, Ed enjoyed the warehouse world and being an integral part of the retail bustle. Unfortunately, a lifetime of physical strain on his body eventually caught up with him, and in 2011, Ed made the tough decision to retire much earlier than he had planned.

In retirement, time with family became Ed’s primary focus, which always brought him so much joy and purpose. It also helped to ease his transition from the comfort of a daily work routine that spanned four decades. Although less mobile in his recent years, Ed still managed to visit family in New York and New Jersey and New England for the “big events”. His big heart was always on display during the family gatherings, and even more so when the goodbyes would begin, and Ed would reliably wear his sunglasses to hide his tears… he hated the goodbyes. For a big tough guy, Ed was quite the softie when it came to his family, a trait he shared with both of his parents Richard and Marianna, who also did a lousy job of hiding their tears during family goodbyes.

Anyone who spent time with Ed knows of his ability to talk with anyone, which is why, no matter the location – a long line at Disney World, a deli in New York, a Sam’s Club in North Carolina – Ed was notorious for always running into someone he knew in the most random corners of the world. Ed made friends everywhere. If you ever had the good fortune to meet Ed in person, you would have immediately known three things – he bore a striking resemblance to the animated movie character Shrek, his handshake felt like a bone crushing vice grip (a trait he shared with his grandfather who was a New York City mason), and he was a genuine good-hearted person with a room-filling personality.

Ed’s absence will be most felt by his loving wife Dina Machnowski, whom he did everything with – whether enjoying a cruise getaway, walks through the shopping mall, visits to the beach, birthday trips to the casino, or just an afternoon helping to care for his mother and father in law – they have been a part of each other’s daily routine and devoted life partners for more than 30 years. Ed is also survived by Dina's two sons Robert Obedzinski (Kim) and Richard Obedzinski, Ed’s first wife Sharon Machnowski (Michael Engelhardt) and their three children Jaime Legault (James), Michael Machnowski (Jenny) and Christine Smith (Sam), his six grandchildren Callie, Olivia, Emma, Carter, Morgan and Adelyn, and his great grandchildren Grayson and Cora. Ed was predeceased by his mother and father Richard and Marianna Machnowski, and survived by his brother Richard E. Machnowski (Irene) and their two children (Ed’s niece and nephew) Laurie Robbins (William) and Stephen Machnowski (Gloria).

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