William J. Wroblicka 89, of Franklin died Friday September 15, 2006 at Franklin Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. He was the husband of the late Elizabeth A. (Naecker) Wroblicka, who died in 1970.
Born in Holyoke, a son of the late Walenty and Mary (Makarska) Wroblicka, he had lived in Franklin since 1964. Raised and educated in South Hadley, he was a graduate of South Hadley High School.
Until his retirement in the early 1980’s he worked for more than 25 years as a sales engineer for General Electric Company.
During World War ll, he served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, attaining the rank of Captain. He served in Central Europe, and for a long time was a prisoner of war. As a pilot of the B-17, he flew many air offensive missions and was awarded the European-African-Middle Eastern Service Medal, American Service Medal, Air Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster, and the Purple Heart. He remained in the reserves and retired as a lieutenant colonel.
He was a devoted communicant of St. Mary’s Church in Franklin and was an avid Boston Red Sox fan.
He leaves four children, William T. Wroblicka of Randolph, New Jersey, Anne T. Mellen of Hillsborough, New Hampshire, Joseph T. Wroblicka of Coronado, California, and Elizabeth L. Wroblicka of Northampton; two sisters, Stephanie Klecotka of Albuquerque, New Mexico and Constance Manders of Sundland, California, and two grandghildren Samuel J. and Noah J. Mellen.
He was the father of the late John T. and Mary T. Wroblicka.
The funeral with military honors will be on Tuesday, September 19, 2006 at 11AM at St. Mary’s Church, 1 Church Sq. Franklin.
Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery.
Visiting hours are Monday September 18, 2006 from 5-7PM at the Charles F. Oteri & Son Franklin Funeral Home 33 Cottage St. Franklin.
Memorial donations may be made to the Jimmy Fund, 10 Brookline Place, Brookline, MA 02445. would be appreciated.