Alexander Michael Lyszczasz
Alexander Michael Lyszczasz was born at Franciszek and Magdalena’s Elizabeth home on April 4, 1918. Frank’s brother, Michael, and Sophia Sinciak, were his Godparents at his baptism at St Adalbert Parish on May 5th of the same year.
Al, unaware of his baptismal name, adopted the middle name of Joseph later in life.
The Great Depression enveloped the country when Al was a preteen. Out of necessity to help support the family, Al worked at a local bakery – a job that would later blossom into a life long career.
Al, unaware of his baptismal name, adopted the middle name of Joseph later in life.
The Great Depression enveloped the country when Al was a preteen. Out of necessity to help support the family, Al worked at a local bakery – a job that would later blossom into a life long career.
It was during the Depression that Al would take bread not sold during the day and deliver it to the widows and other less fortunate in the Frog Hollow area of Elizabeth.
Al was known as a sharp dresser. So sharp in fact that his Mom could not iron his clothes to his satisfaction. Only his sister Bertha could do the job as well as he could!
On November 26, 1940, Al enlisted in the US Army as a Private First Class. He was the only Lyszczasz son to see action in the European theater during World War II participating in the Central Europe, Northern France and Rhineland campaigns. He was honorably discharged from the service on November 25, 1945 with five army service medals.
Al shared stories of his time in the service. One of the favorites is the time that he was on maneuvers in Louisiana. He was making pancakes in a traveling kitchen truck. The truck was traveling up and down hills. With each curve of the hill, the pancakes became longer and thinner. Bet they still tasted good! And while stationed in the state of Washington, Al won an award for designing and baking a cake that was shaped as the United States of America!
While in the service, on June 27, 1943, Al married Mary Sczepanski at St Valentine’s Parish in Bloomfield NJ. Their wedding attendants were Ireneus Sczepanski and Loretta Wardenski. The married couple spent some time in the State of Washington where Al was stationed and then returned home purchasing the house on Meredith Street in Elizabeth from his sister Bertha.
Al and Mary later purchased a home in Colonia NJ where they raised their six children – Alex, Judy, Barbara, Ted, Gary and Richard.
The Colonia home was the site of many family picnics. Who can forget the endless games of horseshoes that were the main event at every gathering!
Al passed away on January 28, 1989 and is interred at St Gertrude Cemetery in Colonia. Mary passed away on March 25, 2007 and is buried next to her husband.
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