Nicholas Kazan, 96, formerly of Chestnut St. Manville, died Sunday April 22, 2018 at St. Antoine Residence in North Smithfield. He was the loving husband of Helen D. (McKee) Kazan. They were married on May 6, 1951 in Greenville, South Carolina.
Born and raised in Manville he was a son of the late Paul and Olana “Helen” (Shewchuk) Kazan. Nick was a lifelong resident of Manville where in his early years he worked at the former Kulick’s Market.
Mr. Kazan was a veteran of the United States Marine Corps serving throughout all of WWII. He enlisted in July 1940 and was honorably discharged in November 1945 with the rank of Sergeant. He was stationed with the Marines at Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941 as he fought against and survived the Japanese surprise attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet at Pearl Harbor. Throughout the rest of the war as a member the 2nd Marine Division Nick fought his way through the South Pacific, island by island, until the Japanese surrender in 1945.
While his experiences could fill volumes, Mr. Kazan, as so many other members the Greatest Generation did, kept most of his experiences to himself. A low-key fellow, Nick was proud of his service to his country and faithful to the motto of the United States Marine Corps, “Semper Fidelis”.
Upon his return to civilian life Nick resumed his work in the food service industry as a meat cutter. He was employed at Broadway Food Center in Pawtucket for over 40 years and also worked for Armour Foods and later Providence College before retiring.
Mr. Kazan was a longtime member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and the Alphonse Yelle Post 9 American Legion in Manville. He enjoyed getting together with other veterans locally to reminisce and share camaraderie. Nick was thrilled to make the journey to Washington D.C. in 2014 as an honored guest of the Rhode Island Fire Chiefs Honor Flight to visit the National WWII Monument and meet with fellow WWII veteran U. S. Senator Bob Dole. On a local level Mr. Kazan was related to the late Theodore Suptelny, a fellow Marine also from Manville, who was killed in WWII and for whom the Manville/Cumberland bridge in named.
Nick enjoyed salt water fishing in South County and was a supporter of New England sports teams.
In addition to his wife of nearly 67 years he is survived by two sons Glenn H. Kazan and his wife Elizabeth of Lebanon Maine and Gregory P. Kazan and his wife Holly of Danvers, MA. He was the brother of the late Peter and Stephen Kazan, Mary Pluta and Olga Sullivan. He is also survived by 6 grandchildren Talia, Josiah, Jeremiah, Gayla, Margret Katherine and Theodore Nicholas Kazan and great-grandchildren Oleksandr and Cooper Kazan and James Walsh and many nieces and nephews and their families.
Relatives and friends are invited to gather Thursday at 11:00 am in the Menard-Lacouture Funeral Home, 127 Carrington Ave. Woonsocket for a funeral service starting at 11:30 am. Burial with Military Honors will follow in St. Stephen’s Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery, Manville. Visiting hours are Wednesday from 4-7 pm. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to the RI Veterans Home, 480 Metacom Ave. Bristol, RI. 02809.
www.menardfuneralhome.com