Zdzislaw Bronislaw Dewicki

Zdzisław Dewicki has joined his wife of 71 years for Christmas in heaven this year, having entered eternal life on December 16, 2021, when God called him by name. Known as Jerry to his friends and family, he was the second son of Władysław and Bronisława Dewicki. Born July 16, 1922, he was baptized at St. Hedwig’s. Jerry learned music on the accordion and then progressed to the violin and the cello. Known for his skill on the cello in high school, he received a scholarship to the University of Michigan School of Music. Jerry turned down the scholarship and attended Munger Trade School, studying drafting, design and engineering. He was employed for a short time at Stinson Aircraft, starting in the mailroom. When he told Stinson of his studies at Munger, Stinson transferred him to the drafting boards where he helped design the wings for the L5 airplane used for military observation. On September 10, 1942, he joined the Army Air Corps Reserves and was called to active duty on October 9, 1942. He became a bombardier and was assigned to the 15th AAC, 464th Bombardment Group, 779th squadron. On August 25, 1944, while returning from a bombing run to Czechoslovakia, his plane, the “Paper Doll”, was shot down at 1219 hours over Austria. He became a German Prisoner of War and was sent to Luft Stalag 1, in Barth, Germany. The Russians liberated the Stalag on May 1, 1945, and Jerry made his way back to the US. After the war, the Dewicki family moved from Wayne to Belleville, Michigan, where Jerry started a small business: Dee’s Dairy Bar in 1948. He joined Laur, a Polish Dance Troupe, in high school and returned to the group after the war. He met Irene Mazur when she attended a Laur social event with her sister Stephanie. The Polish dance group held performances all over Metro Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland. Jerry and Irene were married on July 22, 1950. After selling the Dairy Bar in 1952, Jerry returned to engineering. He worked briefly for Garwood Industries, maker of heavy-duty dump trucks; Harry Ferguson, on farm equipment; and Chrysler in Highland Park, designing the independent suspension for the ’54 DeSoto, before settling into a 30-year career with Ford Motor Company. He started an engineering program at Lawrence Institute of Technology (now Lawrence Technology University) graduating with a Bachelor’s of Science Degree in Mechanical Engineering in 1959. Jerry is survived by his children: Paul (Mary), Barbara (Frank) Bechard, Dianne (Walt) Kreucher, Beth Anne (Michael) Telega, Terry, Donald, and Nancy (Brian) Campbell. He is also survived by twenty-five grandchildren and eighteen great-grandchildren. Dear brother of Vitold (Phyllis), and Zenon (Arlene) and also many loving nieces and nephews, and brothers-in-laws Mitchell Mazur, and Bernard Mazur. Jerry was preceded in death by his wife Irene, his parents, Władysław and Bronisława Dewicki, and his brother Władysław. Also preceding Jerry in death were his brothers-in-law Richard Czapski and Edward Radwan, sisters-in-law Adele Czapski, Ann Mazur, Stephanie Radwan, Joan Mazur and two grandchildren; Heather Elizabeth Telega and AnnMarie Irene Campbell. Visitation Monday 2:00-8:00 pm with Rosary at 6:30 pm Stanley Turowski Funeral Home, 25509 W. Warren, Dearborn Heights. Instate Tuesday 9:30 am at the Church of the Divine Child, 1055 Silvery Lane, Dearborn, until time of Mass at 10:00 am. The Mass of Resurrection for Zdzislaw can be live-streamed here. In lieu of flowers, Jerry's family suggests memorial donations to American EX-POW, or the Military Order of the Purple Heart. May you have good health, and wealth, and may we live to break bread again next year