Obituary of Antoni Grzesik

Antoni Grzesik of Carver passed away January 3, 2010 at the age of 84. Antoni Grzesik was born in Brzesko Poland on September 13, 1925, the son of Solomea (Ignacok) and Jozef Grzesik. During the German occupation of Poland following the outbreak of World War II Antoni, like many Polish youth was taken from his family and sent to work on a farm in Westphalia. During this exile in forced labor he met another Polish teenager, Jadwiga Cieplak, who had also been conscripted by the occupying forces to the same farm, and they were married in 1943. After being liberated by the advancing British 21st Army Group, Antoni worked as a driver for staff officers to the British Army of the Rhine following the German surrender and became fluent in English. Antoni, his wife and his young son and daughter emigrated from a Displaced Persons Camp in Germany and sailed to Boston on the MSTS General M.L. Hersey arriving in November, 1951. They moved into an apartment in the West End and Antoni spent the next ten years working in the meat packing plant of the Boston Sausage Co. on Commercial St. in the North End. In the early 1960’s he purchased a three-decker on Boston St. in the “Polish Triangle” section of Dorchester and opened a delicatessen in 1963 on the ground floor called the Boston Street Market, which he and his family operated for the next 42 years. Antoni put both his driving and language skills to good use over the years, teaching fellow post-war Polish refugees how to drive, helping them obtain drivers licenses and with translation problems. They would return to his store for years after moving to the suburbs especially during Christmas and Easter seasons for his homemade kielbasa and horse radish. Antoni’s love of driving was perhaps best exhibited in the 230 mile round trips he would make with his station wagon every Wednesday to New Britain, CT to bring fresh Polish style cold cuts back to his store. He would also drive to a Polish bakery deep in the “Red Hook” section of Brooklyn, NY and return with dozens of legendary babkas during the holidays. The store was sold in 2005 and Antoni and his wife Jadwiga moved to Carver. He was a long time member and past secretary of the Polish American Citizens Club of South Boston and the Polish Roman Catholic Union. Antoni is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Jadwiga; daughter Mary Zaleski and her husband Stanley; son Vincent Grzesik and his wife Mary; 7 Grandsons and 8 Great Grandchildren. Calling hours will be held Thursday January 7th at Shepherd Funeral Home 116 Main St. (Rte 58) Carver, MA from 4-8 pm. Family and friends are welcome to gather at the Funeral home Friday January 8th at 9am with a funeral Mass to follow at 10am at Our Lady of Lourdes Church Carver, MA. Burial will be in St. Joseph's Cemetery, Plymouth MA.