Walter Anthony Oparowski

08/21/2003

Walter Anthony Oparowski, 85, of 68 Valley St. died Thursday afternoon at North Adams Regional Hospital. Born in Adams on Jan. 25, 1918, son of Henry and Louise Zwolen Oparowski, he attended local schools. A veteran of World War II, he was a squad leader with Troop B, 102nd Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron, 1st Army in Europe. He was awarded numerous decorations for distinguished service during the Normandy invasion and in the Ardennes forest, including the Bronze Star, and a Purple Heart for wounds received in the Battle of the Bulge. He was honorably discharged as a corporal in October 1945. Mr. Oparowski was a letter carrier for 30 years with the U.S. Postal Service, assigned to the Adams post office. He retired in 1985. He also had worked for several years at the former Berkshire Fine Spinning Associates. He was a communicant of St. Stanislausâ€™ Church and volunteered at its functions. He was a member of Adams Post 160 American Legion and Burnette-Bednarz VFW Post 1995. He also volunteered with the local food bank until a short time ago. He was an avid coin and stamp collector, and enjoyed hunting and fishing, reading history and biographies, and tending his garden and fruit trees. He also was a talented handyman. He and his wife, the former Valentina Gajda, were married May 24, 1941, in St. Stanislausâ€™ Church. Besides his wife, he leaves three daughters, Frances Dupre of Manchester, N.H., Joanne Haytaian of Westerly, R.I., and Maryann St. John of Bennington, Vt.; three sisters, Anne Gallagher, Mary Palmer and Blanche Morin, all of Adams; two brothers, Stanley Oparowski of Adams and Matthew â€œMickeyâ€ Oparowski of Cheshire, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. FUNERAL NOTICE -- The funeral for Walter A. Oparowski will be Monday, Aug. 25, at 9:15 at AUGE-PACIOREK-SIMMONS FUNERAL HOME, 13 Hoosac St., Adams, followed by a Liturgy of Christian Burial celebrated at 10 in St. Stanislaus Kostka Church, Adams, by Rev. Daniel J. Boyle, pastor of the Parishes of St. Stanislaus Kostka and Notre Dame-St. Thomas Aquinas, Adams. Burial will follow in St. Stanislaus Kostka Cemetery, Adams. Calling hours will be Sunday from 4 to 7 at the funeral home. Memorial donations may be made to St. Stanislausâ€™ School through the funeral home. Survivors include nine grandchildren, Michael Dupre Jr., Mindy, Marc and Matthew Dupre; Benjamin and Jessie Haytaian; Andrew, Aaron and Christiana St. John, and three great-grandchildren, Nicholas, Ethan and Michael Dupre.

Obituaries

Celebrating Lives & Legacies

Walter Anthony Oparowski

Memorials