Alex Lawriski – Guestbook Entries
Sr. Judy Murray, judymurray@baltimorecarmel.org
Eulogy for Alex Lawriski
Al, Alex, Uncle Alex, Bucky – all the names for the man we are remembering today.
He was born at home in Penn Five on Decoration Day in 1925. He grew up during the Depression and the boys of the village made a pact among themselves that no one in the village would go hungry. They hunted and fishes in season and out of season to put meat on the table. Alex learned his skills well.
It was World War II that became the foundational experience of his life. Just over 18 when he joined the army, he marched from Normandy to Germany where he shook hands with the Russians and acted as an unofficial translator. I asked him once if he landed on D-Day and he said, “No.” That day he helped the cook pack up his supplies. He landed the next day at Cherborg. When I told him, “Somebody was looking out for you,” he just smiled.
His job was to be a scout, to be part of the advance troop to scope things out. I think that the army recognized his superb hunting and tracking skills and wanted to insure that he would be around after D-Day to guide his men deeper into Europe. Alex served in England, France, Holland, Belgium, Germany, and Czechoslovakia and was awarded the Bronze Star for his valor.
Hunting and fishing were the two great loves of his life, and he would take us kids with him to his favorite streams and ponds. “Walk up stream in the river,” he would tell us, “so that the fish don’t smell you coming.” “The fish are hovering facing upstream. Let the bait drift down to them.” Thus he taught us the ways of the woods.
And he always had a jalopy, an off road vehicle to run of the dirt roads in the strippings near our house. He would take us along with him – sometimes to pick a handful of blackberries out the window, sometimes just for a simple joyride making 313, his car, spin around on the gravelly dirt road, and sometimes he would put us in the driver’s seat and let us drive. They were our first “driving lessons” way before the legal age. He really knew how to scare our mothers.
We all loved him for the care, affection, and attention that he lavished on us while we were growing up. As adults we came to know him as a sweet man always ready to give a helping hand.
And we will miss him.
Kim Telling
Uncle Al, thank you for all the wonderful memories as a child visiting, and especially for those you created for our children! You will always be remembered as a special, favorite uncle in our lives.
Michael Telling
Uncle Al, you will never be forgotten. I will never forget the summers spent at the old farm house and fishing with you. You will be greatly missed.
John Olenoski and Family
Old soldiers never die, they’re just forgotten, but I will not forget you Bucky and your service to our country, I’ll always remember seeing at the movies with him, The Bridge at Remagen, and Bucky saying… that’s no war movie….there’s no cursing!
Rest in Peace