SALEM - Edmund J. Graczyk, of Salem, husband of the late Helen M. (Filip) Graczyk, died Thursday morning, October 5, 2006, in the Grosvenor Park Nursing Home, Salem.
Born in Salem, he was the son of the late Stanislaus & Stanislawa (Drankowski) Graczyk.
He attended St. John The Baptist Grammar School and graduated from Salem High School in 1930 where he was known as the “Smiling” captain of the 1929 undefeated SHS football team. He then went on to graduate from the University of Miami in Florida.
He started his employment as an insurance agent for Prudential Life Insurance Co. from 1937 to 1944. from 1944-1945, he was the Physical Education teacher for the Salem public schools during the days and taught drafting in the evenings. from 1945 - 1946 he was the high school physical education teacher at Lewiston, Maine High School, where he also served as a coach of football, basketball and baseball. In 1946-1947 he worked at the United Shoe Machine Corp. as a detail illustrator and worked in Boston as a draftsman and consultant. He returned to the Salem public school system in 1949 as a physical education teacher where he remained until his retirement in 1976. From 1945 to 1976, he was a baseball, basketball and football official. He was the SHS freshman football coach from 1966-1968 and in 2001, he was inducted into the Salem High School Hall of Fame.
He was the director of boys programs at the House of Seven Gables from 1936 - 1958 and was past president of the St. John The Baptist Holy Name Society.
He was a kind and generous person who shared a strong devotion towards his family. He loved to paint portraits, but his greatest joy was being involved in the lives of his grandchildren and great grandchildren.
He is survived by his loving daughter and son-in-law, Mary Ann and John J. Sullivan of Danvers with whom he resided for 5 years after returning from Boynton Beach, FL where he lived for 21 years following his retirement, a daughter-in-law, Yvonne Graczyk of Ventura, CA, 6 grandchildren, Edmund Graczyk of Renton, WA, Elaine and her husband Mark Conrad of Danvers, Marcus Graczyk of Newbury Park, CA, Gary Sullivan of Ipswich, Matthew & his wife Holly Graczyk of Moorpark, CA, Kirstin Kirn of La Jolla, CA, 10 great grandchildren, Samantha & Drew Conrad, Kyle & Kaitlyn Sullivan, Tucker & Westin Graczyk, Madison, Logan & Sawyer Graczyk, Nathan Kirn, one brother, Clarence “Chuck” Graczyk of Danvers, and several nieces and nephews. He was the father of the late Edmund “Skip” Graczyk and brother of the late Sophie Foley, Frank, Al and Ted Graczyk.
Funeral services will be held Tuesday, October 10, 2006 at 9 am from the Full-Spychalski Funeral Home, 84 Washington Square East, by Salem Common, Salem, followed by a funeral Mass at 10 am at the St. John The Baptist Church, Salem. Visiting hours are Monday, 3-7 pm. Relatives and friends respectfully invited. Burial is in St. Mary Cemetery, Salem. For on-line guest book and directions, visit www.SalemFuneral.com.