Edward Ed Kowalczyk

Edward Kowalczyk was a modest man, quiet and observant in his ways. He was trustworthy and traditional in his approach to his life and in his relationships. He was tough-minded with the kind of “stick to it” attitude that earned the respect of all who knew him. He was also a man who was meticulous, carefully disciplined, and orderly in virtually everything he undertook. Realistic about life, he was always at the ready, prepared to take on responsibility.

His parents were John and Mary Kowalczyk. He was brought up to be self-confident and dependable. These were traits that would serve him well throughout his life.

Growing up in the Kowalczyk household was a bit different than most homes. There were good times to be had, but just as often there was a fair share of challenges as well. However, Ed was able to work through the usual family problems when they appeared, and he was the one person in the family who seemed able to keep the stress at bay. Ed was raised with three sisters, Kathy, Frances and Jane. Ed was constantly involved in activities with his sisters. Ed and his siblings may have had the typical rivalries while growing up but Ed was always consistently loyal to his family.

As a young child, Ed was never someone who needed to be the center of attention. He wasn’t pushy and never forced his way into games or other activities. Ed developed a variety of interests, though, and the things he enjoyed doing he did well. He was always curious about the world around him and was often eager to explore it. Ed took part in playing with marbles. In his spare time he liked to collect stamps. However, what Ed enjoyed most was simply playing and spending time with his many friends.

While his teachers and even his friends generally thought of Ed as being a serious person, he managed to have a pretty good time in high school as he made that critical transition from adolescence to adulthood. He graduated from Chicago Wells High School in January 28, 1949. He enjoyed some courses more than others, having favorite classes and teachers. Ed was an Honor Student. Ed was a very logical person who enjoyed learning about factual information. Using his exceptional memory, he was able to learn much through observation. Ed always seemed to have a command of the facts and was able to make it seem as though he could easily master any problem that might be presented to him.

He took the responsibility of marriage to heart, giving it his total commitment.

Ed brought the same traditional values in his marriage to bear on how he raised his children. He was a good parent to them, always firm yet fair in his dealings. He would always listen carefully and think things through before he acted, even when it was an adverse situation. Ed was also a walking schedule, always seeming to know what everyone in the family needed to do, where they needed to be and when they needed to be there.

Ed greatly enjoyed what he did for a living. He was a hard worker who expected the same in return from his co-workers. He was skilled at working effectively in small groups and in one-on-one situations as well as handling solo assignments efficiently. Ed enjoyed dealing with concrete ideas and could penetrate any amount of fuzzy information to reach the essential facts. Always able to attend to the task at hand, Ed was excellent at meeting deadlines. He was an efficient worker, one who paid careful attention to detail, allowing sufficient time to complete one task before moving on to the next. His primary occupation was as an officer with the United States Army, for more than twenty years, achieving the rank of Sergeant First Class. He also was the owner of Crown Warehouse. Ed worked hard to be a team player, doing what was necessary in order to get the job done.

While in the Army, Ed served in Germany, Texas, California,Tokyo and Japan, amongst other locations. He received praise for his valor, including being awarded 5th AAA Battalion for outstanding service, certificate of achievements in 720th Military Police BN Headquarters Company Military BN Tokyo, Japan (Rifle match 3rd place). A literal thinker who possessed a calm exterior, Ed seemed to enjoy the routines set forth by the military. His results-oriented approach to things made him committed to the job, and he understood well his role in serving his country.

Ed liked to experience things first-hand as well as learn about them. This trait carried over into his hobbies, where he was very methodical in how he organized his activities and categorized things. Since he enjoyed his private time, Ed always tried to allocate a specific time for working on his hobbies. His favorite pursuits were stamp collecting, playing poker, pursuing educational courses held at the DuPage School of Real Estate which he successfully completed on November 14, 1977. Ed was content to enjoy his hobbies alone but was also willing to share his interests with others.

Ed found pleasure in sports. Being a person who was comfortable making win/lose decisions throughout life, he could appreciate that athletes made those types of decisions in sports. He applauded those who won, and he enjoyed the statistical data and sports facts and could find himself wrapped up in those details. Recreational pursuits included bowling and excercising. He would watch his favorite sporting events whenever he got the opportunity. He enjoyed watching baseball.

As a man who always showed great commitment to the things he believed in, it’s little wonder that Ed was so active in his community. Being practical and mentally disciplined, Ed preferred to base his decisions on first-hand experiences. Ed was never afraid to roll up his sleeves and dig right in. Ed was a member of several community groups, including serving on committees for the Solomon Lodge in Germany, American Legion and as a Boy Scout Leader.

Ed sought out practical solutions, not individual recognition. He was always grounded and objective, feeling a strong sense of responsibility for taking care of what needed to be done. This selfless attitude earned Ed many accolades for his efforts and achievements. Some of his most prestigious awards were achieved while serving his country in the U S. Army.

Ed was a lover of animals and cherished his pets. Ed had many dogs in his life and he loved all of them. Tank, a Jack Russel Terrior would sit on Ed's lap in his wheelchair. Ed really loved Tank.

Edward Kowalczyk passed away on November 2, 2011 at home, in Shorewood, Illinois. Ed fought a brave battle against C. O. P. D., and had to be on oxygen, (that was a real sight). He did not have enough oxygen in his blood. He is survived by his children, Sue, Jennifer and Ed ; his grandchildren and his great grandkids.

Visitation was held on Saturday, November 5, 2011. from 3-7 p.m., with Funeral Service at 7p.m., at Cypress Funeral Home,1698 N. Bloomingdale Rd., Glendale Heights, Illinois. Interment Private.

Commitment is a key word that can be used to describe the life of Edward Kowalczyk. He was committed to living the life of a good man who was both practical and trustworthy. He was committed to the traditional values that he upheld his entire life. He committed himself to being a hard worker who expected the same effort in return from those around him. Most of all, he was committed to those he knew and loved.