Obituary of Zygmunt Horawski
ZYGMUNT HORAWSKI
Zygmunt Horawski passed away peacefully at the age of 91, on Sunday, November 10, 2019, after spending almost two years in the Sunnybrook Veterans’ Centre. He is survived by his wife Daniela, his son Joseph (Linda), his two daughters, Adriana (Barry), Monica (the late Philip), and his grandchildren Colleen, Natalie and David, and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his grandson Michael and his siblings Jan (Wanda), Sodalia (Czeslaw), Alfreda (Werner), Michal and Alfonsyna.
Zygmunt was born in eastern Poland (in present day Belarus) in 1928. His early years were spent on a small farm with his parents, the late Alfons Horawski and Janina Horawska, and his siblings.
Zygmunt’s father died of pneumonia in 1938. The remaining family continued working and living on their farm. Poland was invaded by Germany and the Soviet Union in September 1939. In February, 1940, Zygmunt’s family was one of many that the Soviets deported to a Soviet Gulag. Zygmunt, his mother and siblings were sent to a logging labour camp in the Kotlas area of Russia. In 1941, when Germany invaded the Soviet Union, Polish inmates of many of the labour camps were released to form a Polish army that would be trained by the British to help the Western Allies. Although he was underaged at 13, Zygmunt joined this army which allowed his family to leave the camp with the other soldiers.
The army and family members travelled to the Middle East. Zygmunt spent about three years in the Heliopolis area of Egypt, training and working as an air force instrument technician. Zygmunt remained in the Heliopolis area until 1946. Afterwards, he was transferred to various Royal Air Force (RAF) Stations in the UK, where the rest of his family had also been resettled.
Zygmunt decided to travel to Argentina with some friends to escape the austerity of Postwar England. While there, he met and married his wife of 63 years, Daniela Nowak. In the meantime, the rest of his family moved from England to Toronto. In 1956, Zygmunt and Daniela moved to Toronto where they raised their family. Zygmunt was able to utilize his wartime technical training working at Litton Systems Ltd. After retirement, Zygmunt and Daniela enjoyed family life in Toronto, and visiting their children and grandchildren in various places across Canada.
His gentle and sweet nature was beloved by family, friends and co-workers. He also loved animals, his garden, and his Lotto tickets. Zygmunt enjoyed walking and was famous throughout the neighbourhood as the unofficial Neighbourhood Watch. His walks often took him to his local “tavern,” Tim Hortons. He loved to dance, made people laugh, and told amazing stories of his life. A work-in-progress puzzle was often found on the dining room table. His faith was important to him, and every weekend you would find Zygmunt at church with his wife and family.
We would like to thank the staff of the Sunnybrook Veterans’ Centre for their care of Zygmunt. The family will receive friends at the Humphrey Funeral Home A.W. Miles – Newbigging Chapel, 1403 Bayview Avenue (south of Davisville) from 4:00 -8:00 p.m. Tuesday, November 12th. The time of the Rosary service is to be determined. The funeral service will be at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 13th at St. Anselm’s Church, 1 MacNaughton Road, Leaside. Interment will be at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, to be followed by a Celebration of Life at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery Funeral Centre. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Sunnybrook Veterans’ Centre.
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