Walter Parfomak, a fifty-five year resident of Wallington, entered eternal life on Saturday, January 12th, 2019, he was 87. Walter was born on a farm in Bjarozna, Poland on February 16th, 1931, to Nicefor and Justyna (Siliwończuk) Parfomak. During WWII, and shortly after the invasion of Poland by the Germans, Walter and his family were taken to a rail yard in Nördlingen, Germany to work as forced laborers, where they remained as refugees following the war. Walter emigrated to the United States in 1947, settling in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Walter was drafted by the U.S. Army during the Korean War and, being able to speak five languages, served in the 338th Military Intelligence Battalion at Fort Meade, MD during his enlistment. Walter subsequently earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. He began working in the aerospace industry, at Bendix Corporation (Teterboro, NJ, later Allied-Signal Corporation) where he would spend his 40 year career. A gifted inventor, Walter earned 29 patents for his innovations in guidance and flight control systems, including systems for several NASA programs including the Apollo lunar missions, Skylab, the Hubble Space Telescope, and in many other civilian and military applications. On April 23rd, 1960, Walter married his wife of 58 years at St. Stephen’s Church in Perth Amboy, NJ. In 1966 the family moved to Wallington, where he resided on the same street for the remainder of his long, productive life. In addition to being an innovator, and an avid do-it-your-selfer, Walter enjoyed keeping bees for over 40 years and instilled his love of beekeeping to many other members of his family. He also enjoyed fishing, reading, travel and spending time with his grandchildren. He was a member of the Związek Młodzieży Polskiej (ZMP) and the Polish Peoples Homes in Passaic and Wallington for several decades. Walter is survived by his beloved wife Jane (Makrocka) Parfomak, his loving daughter Eva and her husband Warren Stroedecke; his loving son Andrew and his wife Miroslawa Parfomak, and his loving son Paul and his wife Liza Parfomak. Walter is also survived by nine beloved grandchildren: Elizabeth, Margaret, Natasha, Katrina, Katherine, Caroline, Sofia, John, and Kasper and his cherished great-grandson James. He is also survived by his dear sister Janina Kochanowski. Visiting Hours: 2- 4 and 7-9 pm, Friday, January 18th, Warner-Wozniak Funeral Service, 80 Midland Ave. Wallington. A funeral Mass will be celebrated 10 am, Saturday, January 19th, The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 127 Paterson Avenue, Wallington, and immediately following Walter will be laid to rest at Holy Cross Cemetery, 340 Ridge Road, North Arlington.
2019 — Walter’s Story Ends
Walter Parfomak, a fifty-five year resident of Wallington, entered eternal life on Saturday, January 12th, 2019, he was 87. Walter was born on a farm in Bjarozna, Poland on February 16th, 1931, to Nicefor and Justyna (Siliwończuk) Parfomak. During WWII, and shortly after the invasion of Poland by the Germans, Walter and his family were taken to a rail yard in Nördlingen, Germany to work as forced laborers, where they remained as refugees following the war. Walter emigrated to the United States in 1947, settling in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. Walter was drafted by the U.S. Army during the Korean War and, being able to speak five languages, served in the 338th Military Intelligence Battalion at Fort Meade, MD during his enlistment. Walter subsequently earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering from the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute. He began working in the aerospace industry, at Bendix Corporation (Teterboro, NJ, later Allied-Signal Corporation) where he would spend his 40 year career. A gifted inventor, Walter earned 29 patents for his innovations in guidance and flight control systems, including systems for several NASA programs including the Apollo lunar missions, Skylab, the Hubble Space Telescope, and in many other civilian and military applications. On April 23rd, 1960, Walter married his wife of 58 years at St. Stephen’s Church in Perth Amboy, NJ. In 1966 the family moved to Wallington, where he resided on the same street for the remainder of his long, productive life. In addition to being an innovator, and an avid do-it-your-selfer, Walter enjoyed keeping bees for over 40 years and instilled his love of beekeeping to many other members of his family. He also enjoyed fishing, reading, travel and spending time with his grandchildren. He was a member of the Związek Młodzieży Polskiej (ZMP) and the Polish Peoples Homes in Passaic and Wallington for several decades. Walter is survived by his beloved wife Jane (Makrocka) Parfomak, his loving daughter Eva and her husband Warren Stroedecke; his loving son Andrew and his wife Miroslawa Parfomak, and his loving son Paul and his wife Liza Parfomak. Walter is also survived by nine beloved grandchildren: Elizabeth, Margaret, Natasha, Katrina, Katherine, Caroline, Sofia, John, and Kasper and his cherished great-grandson James. He is also survived by his dear sister Janina Kochanowski. Visiting Hours: 2- 4 and 7-9 pm, Friday, January 18th, Warner-Wozniak Funeral Service, 80 Midland Ave. Wallington. A funeral Mass will be celebrated 10 am, Saturday, January 19th, The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, 127 Paterson Avenue, Wallington, and immediately following Walter will be laid to rest at Holy Cross Cemetery, 340 Ridge Road, North Arlington.
Walter Parfomak: An Immigrant Story 