FILIPIAK - Joseph, 100, a long time resident of North Merrick, NY passed away on December 11, 2018. Mr. Filipiak (Joe) was born in Maspeth, NY. He is the son of the late Ignacy and the late Victoria (Wiankowska) Filipiak. Joe met his true love Dolores (Kunreuther) at the Roseland dancehall in New York City and they were married for 42 years. Joe served as a combat veteran in battle for the U.S. Navy in WWII. He was employed by Exxon Oil Corp., Oceanside, NY as a Motor Tank Salesman for 30 years. Joe is survived by two daughters, Barbara Johnson and Dolores Dickson and two sons, Joseph Filipiak and Paul Filipiak and is predeceased by his daughter Loretta Filipiak. Joe is survived by six grandchildren, Michael Filipiak, Christopher Johnson, Bryan Johnson, David Filipiak, Laura Johnson, and Thomas Dickson and one great grandchild, Sasha Johnson. Joe is also predeceased by five sisters and three brothers. Joe was a creative artist as he loved to write poems, build model airplanes, create wood carvings, build furniture, play the piano, guitar and harmonica, and he mastered calligraphy writing. The most noticeable of Joe's attributes was his kind and gentle nature always thinking of others before himself and a smile that seemed to last forever. Oh and his love and awe for the outdoors, those trips to Jones Beach, star gazing with his telescope, and tending to his beefsteak tomatoes and blueberry bushes. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:15 am on Monday, December 17 at Sacred Heart R.C. Church, 720 North Merrick Avenue, North Merrick, NY. Burial will be in Long Island National Cemetery, Pinelawn on Monday, December 17, 2018. Calling hours will be on Sunday, December 16th from 4-8 pm at N.F. Walker, Inc., 2039 Merrick Avenue, Merrick, NY. www.nfwalkerfh.com
Published in Newsday on Dec. 15, 2018