Ernest Joseph Gnaidek

Ernest Joseph Gniadek 83 of Wilmington, North Carolina, died at 10:15am Sunday morning 11/13/11 at his home with his family. Mr. Gniadek a devout Catholic a devoted Husband and a loving Father of 7 favorite children was born on July 18, 1928 in Pittsfield Massachusetts; he was the youngest son of Joseph and Katherine S. Gniadek. Upon the death of his father Joseph aged 33 on June 6, 1932 due to an industrial accident, his mother Katherine Gniadek single handedly raised her 5 sons the Gniadek brothers Fred, Ed, Ray, Henry and Ernie, five boys ages 4 to 9. One by one as the brothers got old enough they walked up to the Berkshire Hills Country Club and started caddying, first went Uncle Freddie who became the Caddie Master, and then Uncle Eddie, and Uncle Ray and Uncle Henry and when his turn came; Ernest. At this time during the Great Depression golfers paid their caddies $1.00/ round and might tip a nickel or a dime, Dad and his brothers would bring the $1.00 home and give it to our Grandmother who was working in a woolen mill for $10.00/ wk and that is how Dad and his family survived the Great Depression.

When WWII came Uncle Fred joined the Army Air Force to fly around as a top turret in gunner a B-26 chasing Rommel out of Africa, Uncle Eddie joined the Armed Guard and protected merchant ships sailing from South America up to Murmansk in Russia and back, Uncle Ray joined the Army Air force and worked in radio and electronics and Uncle Henry joined the Navy. Dad was too young to serve so he stayed home with Grandma becoming the Caddy Master at the Berkshire Hills Country Club when Uncle Fred went into the service in 1943. Upon graduation from Pittsfield High School in 1946 Mr. Gniadek was employed as an apprentice draftsman for the General Electric Co. of Pittsfield, Mass, tiring of drafting Dad “Joined the Navy to See the World” Promised to Electronics school by the recruiter, Dad ended up in the Mohave desert as a draftsmen at the Naval Ordinance Test Station in Inyokern Ca. (The draftsman had one of three air conditioned offices on the base; the other two belonged to the base Commander and the Chaplin.) Mr. Gniadek was honorably discharged after 16 months of military service and returned home to Pittsfield Mass going back to work for GE.

On July 18, 1957 Ernest J. Gniadek married the former Helen Catherine Flynn the daughter of John M and Charlotte C. Flynn of Pittsfield, Massachusetts. Ms. Flynn’s Father having been the Sports Editor of the Berkshire Eagle of Pittsfield Mass for 33 years was well acquainted with his new son in-law as Dad and his brothers had caddied for Mr. Flynn and golfing partners for many years and Mr. Flynn had written in several of his columns about the successes of the Gniadek brothers on the Links of Berkshire County. Ernest J. and Helen F. Gniadek had seven children: Linda Marie Gniadek, Patricia Anne Gniadek, Charlotte G. Arnold and Joseph Patrick Gniadek all of Wilmington, Mathew Francis Gniadek of Las Vegas, Nevada, Michael Joseph Gniadek of Boone, North Carolina, and Patrick Andrew Gniadek, deceased. Dad was preceded in death by our Mother Helen F. Gniadek who passed on July 29, 1999 at the Lower Cape Fear Hospice and our baby brother Patrick Andrew who passed at birth in January of 1961. Dad is also preceded in death my both of his parents and all four of his brothers, Uncle Eddie having passed just last year.

Both our Father and Mother were the youngest children of their respective families and though neither of them served in war they both a part of the “The Greatest Generation” as were all of our Aunt’s and Uncles. There actions spoke louder than words. Mr. Gniadek was employed in several occupations over his 50+ year working career, in addition to his 40 year career with General Electric he worked for New England Telephone Co., Friendly Ice Cream Co., and was an apprentice electrician several years. During his 40 year career with GE he worked at GE Pittsfield in both the Power Transformer and Distribution Transformer departments and also at the Naval Ordinance plant located there. Mr. Gniadek was transferred to GE Wilmington in January of 1971 going to work as an expediter for the Nuclear Reactor business located here at that time. Dad worked in various capacities over his career in Wilmington but his two favorite assignments were in the test department for the control rod drive units for the Nuclear business and later as a machinist for the GE Aircraft Engine group which he joined upon its arrival in the early 1980’s. Mr. Gniadek retired from GE Wilmington in July of 1993.

Upon Mom’s early retirement in December 1993, Helen and Ernie traveled to the Great Britain and toured Mom’s native home of Ireland a dream she always had. Mom and Dad enjoyed travelling and did so quite a bit always inviting the Family and friends to join them at their various destinations over the years. The Dream ended for Dad on June 29, 1999 when mom passed away quickly and unexpectedly, Dad died that day as well. For the next 12 years 4 months and 14 days Dad was with us as our loving father but lost without our mother; that ended for Dad at 10:15am on Sunday 11/13/11 at home with his family.

In addition to his surviving children Ernie is survived by his 7 grand children, Christine Wendorf, Patrick Wendorf, Joseph Edwin ”Jed” Gniadek , Mary Catherine “Flynn” Gniadek, Mathew Alexander “Max” Gniadek, Helen Katherine “Kate” Arnold and George Henry Gniadek and two great grand children Alyssa and Nicholas Martinez all of the Wilmington area. Ernie was a communicant of St. Marks Catholic Church and a supporter of the Catholic school located there. Above all Dad was a devout Catholic a devoted Husband and a loving Father.

A wake shall be held at St. Marks Catholic Church on Thursday November 17, 2011, the family will be receiving friends from 6:00 to 7:00PM followed by the Rosary from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. A funeral Mass celebrated by Rev Stevan Carlsen at St Mark’s Catholic Church on Friday November 18, 2011 at 11:00 AM, a reception will follow in the church hall. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the Lower Cape Fear Hospice.