Walter Oleszkowicz

Walter Joseph Oleszkowicz was born on June 22,1924 in Detroit, Michigan and passed peacefully into the presence of the Lord on December 11, 2021 in Sun City, Arizona at the age of 97. He was predeceased by his wives: Stella (Macierzynski) (M Sept 2, 1950 – Oct 5, 1998); and Virginia (Pitre) (M Mar 24, 2007 – Nov 25, 2013); and by his eleven siblings. Walter is survived by his four daughters: Sharon Gould (Goodyear, Arizona); Lori (John) Waltz (Kirkland, Arizona); Kathy (Denton, Texas); and Terese (Poul) Overgaard (Calgary, Alberta); grandson Jonathan Gould (Calgary, Alberta); sister-in-law Joan (Chuck) Lundeen (Sun City, Arizona); and numerous nephews and nieces. Walter was born and raised in Detroit, and was a courageous and adventurous soul. His decision to enlist in the U.S. Army at age 19 took him to the European Theatre in WWII. He was awarded the Silver Star for his heroic efforts during a combat operation that took place during the early morning hours of March 15, 1945, inside of a minefield. Every year on the Ides of March Walter would recount that horrific battle and remember the lives that were lost or irrevocably altered. His efforts saved many and helped to open a roadway that turned out to be a critical artery in bringing the Allies into Germany. Walter’s platoon also liberated a concentration camp at Landsberg, Germany. As an eye-witness to those atrocities, Walter was an outspoken advocate throughout his life of initiatives memorializing the Holocaust. In Detroit, Walter worked in both the family movie theater business and as a teacher in the public school system. He moved with his wife and daughters to Calgary, Alberta in 1969 where he continued to teach math and computer science for an additional twenty years. Anyone who had the privilege of seeing Walter in the classroom was immediately struck by his genuine love of teaching and natural flair for the profession. His lessons were infused with enthusiasm, creativity, and an ever-present sense of humor. He always emphasized that learning should be both fun and engaging. Walter spent the last 19 years of his retirement in Arizona. Walter was a parishioner at St. Clement of Rome Catholic Church in Sun City, AZ. However, Walter's final resting place will be at Holy Sepulchre Mausoleum in Detroit, Michigan. Arrangements for services to be held in Michigan will be announced in late spring or early summer 2022. In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to make a charitable contribution in Walter's memory may want to consider one of the organizations that he supported: St. Jude's Research Hospital; Tunnel to Towers Foundation; or the Holocaust Memorial Museum.