SUTTON – John Pelczarski, 75, former Blackstone River Valley District Manager, passed away on January 1, 2024 surrounded by his loving family. He leaves his beloved wife of 54 years, Rosemary (Mugrditchian) Pelczarski whom he married on May 30, 1969 in Sacred Heart of Jesus Church, Webster; four children, Jaymee and her husband Mike Hulten, Wendy and her husband Dan Tremblay, Jill and her husband William Moroz, and his son Jake Pelczarski; 4 grandchildren, Zoey and Samantha Tremblay, Colt Moroz, and Maddox Pelczarski; a sister Sandra and her husband Lon D. Hodge; a sister-in-law, Netta Plante and her husband Edmund of Webster; and several nieces and a nephew. He was preceded in death by his sister Dolores Rady.
He was born in Webster, on August 12, 1948, the son of Frank and Lillian (Dudek) Pelczarski. He graduated from Bartlett High School in 1966 and earned a Bachelor’s in Business Administration Degree, majoring in Forest Management, from Nichols College in Dudley in 1970.
John started working for the Mass. Department of Natural Resources as a tree climber for several years for the Bureau of Insect Pest Control. During his career he managed the Department of Environmental Management facilities in Hopkinton, Whitehall, Ashland, Rutland, Moore, Regatta Point, Lake Quinsigamond and Wells state parks along with the Purgatory Chasm State Reservation and Upton State Forest before being appointed Senior Forest and Park Supervisor at the Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park in 1985. In 2004, John was promoted to District Manager of the Blackstone River Valley and was part of the management team which was involved in the planning, design, land acquisition, and maintenance for the Blackstone River & Canal Heritage State Park, the River Bend Farm Visitor Center restoration, the Blackstone River Bikeway, the Blackstone River Access site for canoeing and the construction of the new Purgatory Chasm Visitor Center. He also worked together with the National Park Service and the Blackstone River Valley National Heritage Corridor staff on other projects.
During his long career John was the recipient of many awards: the Alan Hendry Memorial Award, given to a member of the Division of Forests and Parks who has demonstrated outstanding abilities in recreation supervision, the Blackstone Valley Chamber of Commerce Extra Mile Award for significantly contributing to the economic vitality of the Blackstone Valley Region, the Nichols College Alumni Achievement Award, the Commonwealth of Mass Pride in Performance Award for Outstanding Achievement in forest and park management, and the Blackstone River Watershed Association President’s Award for outstanding performance.
John always loved nature and being outdoors: he felt he always had a special connection with the natural world. During his younger years, he enjoyed fishing (especially ice fishing), hiking, cross-country skiing, wildlife photography, collecting stamps, and going on vacation to the beach in Ogunquit, ME, traveling to visit national parks, and having cookouts and campfires in his backyard with his family and friends.
John loved to landscape his wooded two-acre property and over the last 40 years he planted 100 rhododendrons, mountain laurel, and azalea shrubs in the understory of his 100-foot-tall white pine and red oak trees. He also planted hundreds of daffodils.
Memorial calling hours will be held from 1:00 to 3:30 PM on Sunday, February 25, in the Sitkowski, Malboeuf, and Hickey Funeral Home, 340 School Street, Webster with a service at 3:00 PM in the funeral home. Memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, Tennessee 38105.