Obituary of Roman J. Wilczak

Vernon Center-Roman J. Wilczak, age 90, passed away peacefully Sunday evening February 18, with his loving family at his side. The youngest of ten, Roman was born in his family's farmhouse in Hecla, Town of Westmoreland to Victoria and Albert Wilczak. He was a 1951 graduate of Westmoreland Central School and served his country while in the Navy from 1951 to 1954. Roman met Caroline A. Spain while at dance in Clark Mills and they united in marriage in 1951 and shared this loving companionship for 66 years. He was employed for 35 years by the USPS as the rural mail carrier for Vernon and then Vernon Center while also working in the "money room" at Vernon Downs for 21 years. In 1976 he founded Vernon Agri Service on Bleeker Road in Vernon Center. Upon retirement he served the Town of Vernon an additional 14 years first as Chairman of the Board of Appeals, then Town Councilman and then Town Supervisor for 8 yrs. He was on the Oneida County Landfill Board and belonged to the Vernon Republican Committee. In 1992 he was appointed Chairman of the building project for the new Town Hall Office Building on Peterboro Rd. in Vernon. Roman's life work was his family and serving his community as well as his 4 years of military service for which he was all very proud of. He loved hunting, fishing, playing cards and watching baseball and football. He was very interested in our Country's Civil War Era and spent years touring Civil War Battleground sites with his wife Caroline. He was a charter member of the Vernon Rod & Gun Club, serving as president for many years and he was the last original founding member of the Horseshoe Lake Hunting Club originated in 1964 which continues to be active to this day with many members who will dearly miss him. Roman was predeceased by his wife Caroline, grandsons, Michael Wilczak and Cliff Stanton, his nine siblings, John, Joseph, Edward, Herbert Wilczak and Francis Patterson, Mary Laura, Anne Dowling, Elizabeth LaGoy and young sister Martha Wilczak. He is survived by his four children, Linda Wilczak, Jeffrey Wilczak, James (Cynthia) Wilczak and Sandra (Michael) Russ, grandchildren Alex, Courtney and Matthew Wilczak, Ethan Russ and Dawn Amankwaa and three great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. Family and friends are invited to call on Friday, March 1, 2024 from 4:00 to 7:00 at the Malecki Funeral Home, 23 Front Street, Vernon, NY. A brief funeral service will follow at 7:00 p.m. at the funeral home. Online condolences may be sent to maleckifuneralhome.com »(Do not delete this line. It does not print. Text that is to appear on web must be entered before this line)