Stanley P. Krolczyk

Commander Stanley Peter Krolczyk, age 96, traded his Navy wings for a new set of wings and died peacefully in his sleep, surrounded by family, during hurricane Irma. Stan was born in Toledo, Ohio on July 28, 1921, the oldest child of Casimer John and Angeline Mlynarczyk Krolczyk. In 1940, he graduated from Central Catholic High School, attended St. Francis DeSales College in Toledo on a music scholarship, and worked as a train engineer until he enlisted in the Navy in 1942.

He entered the Navy’s NAVAIRCAD V-5 flight training program and graduated in 1943, when he was assigned to Heavy Attack Squadron VPB-104, the Screaming 104. The “Toledo Tornado” fighter pilot survived being shot down twice during the war and was awarded numerous medals including: the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal (with 2 gold stars), the Presidential Unit Citation (with 1 bronze star) and 3 area service medals during his 2 tours in the Far Eastern Pacific serving in both WWII and the Korean War. He remained on active duty, working as a test pilot and flying every plane in the Navy’s inventory at the time. He attended Ohio State University, earned a BS in Aerology from the Naval Postgraduate School, and also studied at the Navy War College.

In the 1950s, Krolczyk was one of the first hurricane hunter pilots to fly into the storms using aviation radar technology to track them. He had a lifelong interest in meteorology and, fittingly enough, Stan chose to depart this Earth during a major weather event. His military career took him to California, Hawaii, Rhode Island, Maryland where he worked in the Pentagon, and finally, to Florida. He retired from active duty in September 1966, and continued work at TRW Space Division, in Melbourne. In 1967, he joined the Atlantic Undersea Test and Evaluation Center (AUTEC), in West Palm Beach, working with nuclear submarine testing and communication systems as an engineer. Among awards at AUTEC, he received the Department of the Navy Meritorious Civilian Medal.

Stan was given a violin on his 5th birthday, and music was a major part of his life. He mastered the violin and viola, serving as first chair in Toledo symphonic orchestras at age 18. He also played stand-up bass, ukulele and mandolin, and all genres of music from classical to country and Hawaiian. His musical legacy lives on in his children and grandchildren. In addition to music, Krolczyk played poker weekly with his buddies into his ‘90s. He loved bowling, electronics, fishing, swimming, sports, and cigars, and was proud of his Polish heritage. He could fix almost anything and was great with his hands, even building the family’s TV. He was a 50-year resident of North Palm Beach.

Stanley met Navy WAVE Margaret (Margot) Spangler on the Norfolk Naval base, and the two were married in Virginia on October 14, 1951. Besides his wife of nearly 66 years, he is survived by his five children: Paul R. Krolczyk of Royal Palm Beach; Margaret (Peggy) Skantar and husband, David, of Palm Beach Gardens; Patricia (Patty) K. Shreeves of North Palm Beach; Peter S. Krolczyk and wife, Shelleace, of Winooski, VT; and Pamela K. Espinosa and husband, Ricardo, of Fort Wayne, IN. He was beloved “Boppa,” “Grandpa,” and “Dziadzi” to grandchildren: June Peoples, Daniel and Andrew Gentile, Stephen and Michael Shreeves, Paul (Stas) Krolczyk, Monica Espinosa and Natalie Hughes; and great-grandpa to Alex, Ariana, Isabella and Max Peoples. He is preceded in death by his brother, Raymond C. Krolczyk, and sister, Irene K. Lazette.

Visiting hours will be held at the Howard-Quattlebaum Funeral and Event Center, 754 U.S. Hwy. 1 in North Palm Beach on Friday, September 22, from 6 to 8 p.m., with a prayer service at 7 p.m. A mass of Christian burial will be celebrated by Fr. William O’Shea on Saturday, September 23, at 10 a.m. at St. Clare Catholic Church, 821 Prosperity Farms Rd., North Palm Beach. A reception will follow at 11:30 a.m. at Howard-Quattlebaum. To honor his 24 years of military service, Commander Krolczyk will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery, in Washington, D.C. at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the Salvation Army of Palm Beach County, 2100 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33409. Please make checks payable to: Salvation Army of Palm Beach County and in the memo section, write: In memory of Stan Krolczyk for hurricane Irma victims. Donations may also be made in Stan’s name for a memorial charter at the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation (NAMF), 1750 Radford Blvd., Ste. B, Pensacola, FL 32508.

The family wishes to thank the wonderful nurses and CNAs who helped care for dad in the last year, as well as the staff at Garden’s Court, the VA Hospital, and Trustbridge Hospice.