Dr. Teodor Polak

Dr. Teodor Polak of Los Angeles, California, passed away on Tuesday, June 8, 2021, at the age of 92. After battling progressive dementia, Teodor died peacefully in his sleep with the love of his life and wife of 66 years, Maria, nearby.

Teodor was born in Warsaw, Poland, on November 9, 1928. The second youngest of five siblings, he grew up in a very modest household. At the early age of 15, his passion for and patriotism to his birth country were already in clear display as he secretly funneled weapons to Poland's Home Army, which was fighting for its country’s freedom against Nazi Germany in the 1944 Warsaw Uprising. Poland’s government later awarded Teodor a Cross of Valor and the Bronze Cross of Merit for his brave contributions during the uprising.

His strong passion and drive to help those who lived in Poland led him to become a surgeon in Warsaw, where he practiced for many years and served as an advisor to the Polish Minister of Health. In 1955, Teodor married Maria in Warsaw, and together they emigrated to the U.S. in 1958. Via France and Chicago, they eventually settled in California to raise a family. Once there, Teodor conducted research at UCLA until he become a board certified surgeon in the state. He continued his surgical career working at various hospitals in Los Angeles and helped improve the lives of many in the area.

An extremely intelligent and determined person, Teodor worked tirelessly to bring awareness of Polish culture and history to the U.S. As an active member of the Polish American Congress, he established and served as Chairman of the Polish American Defense Committee to uphold truth and accuracy relating to Poland, its history and its citizens. One of his proudest achievements as chairman was securing approval from the California State Board of Education to include in the model school curriculum the Polish Genocide that occurred during WWII. For his decades-long efforts chairing this committee, Teodor was awarded the Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit, which was bestowed upon him by then-President of Poland, Lech Walesa.

When not hard at work, Teodor loved to travel with his family, take long drives along the coast with Maria, listen to Chopin, and swim.

Teodor is survived by his wife Maria; his daughters Ivona and Eva; his grandchildren Alexa and Julia; his brother Joseph; and other relatives in California, Connecticut and Poland.

In lieu of flowers, a donation in Teodor’s memory may be made to the Polish American Defense Committee, the Kosciuszko Foundation or the Alzheimer’s Association. Please visit dignitymemorial.com to place online condolences.