age 95, a longtime resident of Wausaukee, WI went to be with the Lord on May 13, 2023, with his wife and family at his bedside, following Empath Hospice care at Largo Medical Center in Florida. Jerzy was born in Konin, Poland on May 2, 1928 to the late Marian and Janina Paluta and later emigrated to America. He first settled in Chicago, IL where he met his wife of 46 years, Maryla Lewandowska, who preceded him in death in 2001. He is survived by his beloved wife of 20 years, Sandra “Sandy” Paluta (nee Smith). Jerzy, called “Jerry” by his many friends and “Jurek” by his Polish family, was taken from his home as a youth by the Nazi army during the occupation of his native Poland during World War II. Forced to live in a labor camp during the war, Jerzy made his way to Chicago in 1950. With the Korean War heating up, Jerzy was drafted into the US Army shortly after his arrival. He used to joke that his ability to carry a rifle overcame his lack of English language skills. He was honored to serve his new home country and remained a proud veteran his entire life. Jerzy and Maryla were blessed with five children. Thoreau had Walden, and Jerzy had Wausaukee. He bought a farmhouse and 3 acres of land in northern Wisconsin in the early 70s. Through great vision and hard work, Jerzy reshaped the small parcel into his little piece of heaven on earth. A beautiful orchard, abundant garden, and backyard playground for his grandchildren remain the iconic fruits of his dream. Following retirement from US Steel, Jerzy moved full-time to Wausaukee raising rabbits and keeping his birdfeeders full, his front porch swing offering a warm welcome to all passersby. Eventually, a snowbird cadence followed whereby spring to fall was spent in his beautiful Wausaukee, while cold winters were escaped in sunny, warm Largo, FL. Jerzy loved gardening, sharing jokes, and woodcarving, a creative talent that only emerged in his 60s. He was a member of the Suncoast Woodcarvers, a Largo-based carving club, meeting weekly for fellowship and carving, Wausaukee-grown sumac his favorite carving medium. He placed a high value on education, something WWII never allowed him to achieve. He insisted all his children complete a college degree and deliver good grades along the way. A man of humble beginnings and modest means, he wanted to leave the world a better place and believed higher education was the key. He was a proud member of The Polish Center of John Paul II in Clearwater, FL. He and Sandy visited twice a week for dinner and festive camaraderie.
Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Sandy; five children: Donna (Daryl) Mealiff of Champaign, IL, Ursula (Jerome) Brozek of Skokie, IL, Roman (Christine) Paluta of Plymouth, MN, Mark (Tracy) Paluta of Madeira, OH, Wanda Koeller of Villa Park, IL; 11 grandchildren; and 4 great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Maryla Paluta, his only sibling, a sister Ania Karbowa, and son-in-law, Scott Koeller.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11am on Saturday, July 22, 2023, at St. Augustine Catholic Church in Wausaukee. Visitation is from 9:30 am until the time of Mass. Burial will be in Evergreen Cemetery following Mass.
In lieu of flowers, memorials are requested to: The Polish Center of John Paul II, 1521 North Saturn Avenue, Clearwater, FL 33755. The Polish Center of John Paul II is dedicated to the preservation of Polish culture, language and traditions in America.
Roubal Funeral Home of Wausaukee is assisting Jerzy’s family with arrangements.
