Mikolaj Andrejaszko

Mikolaj Andrejaszko, (August 25, 1933-January 31, 2023) lived a remarkable life as a devoted husband, father, grandfather, a man of faith, and a true provider.

Born in Alba, a small village in pre-war Poland, now part of Belarus, he was a son of late Helena (Moejko) and Andrzej Andrejaszko, a landowner and a military settler (osadnik) who was a soldier in the Polish Army fighting for a free Poland along with Jzef Pilsudski. On the bitterly cold night of February 10, 1940 after the Council of People's Commissars of the USSR decided to deport military settlers, Mikolaj, together with his parents and brothers Basyli, Aleksander, and Eugeniusz, was deported to the depths of the Soviet Union. They had no idea where they were being taken, forcibly dragged out of their homes at night, only with what they could carry in their hands. Packed into cattle wagons, they traveled for weeks without food and fresh water until reaching their final destination at Archangelsk, Siberia.

There, their lives, as well as the lives of thousands of Polish families, were changed forever. They continued to face suffering, hunger, pain, hard labor, and death. The oldest brother, Basyli, died there in 1943. In June 1944, the family was transferred to a camp in Charkov, Ukraine, where Mikolaj attended school located seven kilometers from where they lived, needing to walk through a forest full of wolves and bandits. While in school, he studied in both Polish and Russian languages. In June of 1946, the family finally arrived in Golczew, Poland. Mikolaj continued his education under very strict discipline at a boarding school Zakon Sw. Jzefa in Mysliborz, learning to become a teacher and working at the PGR (state agricultural farms) or building railroads during the holidays. He saved money to buy an old accordion, which he played passionately at various youth gatherings and annual harvest celebrations.

From 1954-56, Mikolaj attended the non-commissioned officer school for tank commanders and studied at the Higher School of Pedagogy in Szczecin, where he was a correspondent for a military newspaper. Thereafter, he studied at the Higher School of Armored Forces named after Stanislaw Czarniecki, in Poznan and graduated with the rank of lieutenant. He completed his master's studies in Pedagogy in Opole.

He married Wadyslawa Kozlowska, the love of his life, in 1962, and settled down in Mysliborz. He became a beloved and respected history and math teacher at Szkola Nr. 3 Im. Leonida.Teligii. There, he had a chance to become a Director, but it would have meant rejecting his Catholic faith and joining the Communist party, both of which he vehemently refused to do. In addition to his work as a teacher, Mikolaj spent 15 years as a Cultural Manager in a teachers' center, where he was responsible for training young teachers. He was very proud of his rank as Scoutmaster, that he received for providing coaching and direction for young Boy and Girl Scouts.

In September 1975, Mikolaj immigrated with his family to Lowell, Massachusetts, in the United States. In a foreign country, far away from his active social environment and without any knowledge of the English language, the obstacles he faced felt almost insurmountable. He worked first at Joan Fabrics, then in various factories, until finally finding a secure position at Honeywell. He became an active member of the Polish community, serving as the President of the Polish National Alliance - Lowell Chapter for many years. He was also an active member in the Holy Trinity Polish Church, where he was an usher and a member of their Senior Citizens Club. Mikolaj enjoyed keeping the Polish culinary culture alive in his new home, by helping to make Pierogies, Polish dumplings, that were used at Polish celebrations or sent to Connecticut to benefit the Felician Sisters.

In 2011, Mikolaj was decorated with the Cross of the Siberian Exiles (Krzy Zesacw Sybiru), awarded to him by Polish President Lech Kaczynski, in recognition and commemoration of the sufferings of Polish citizens deported to Siberia.

Mikolaj loved to read, raise tomatoes, make sauerkraut, and fish, but his true passion was spending time with his family and talking about his life.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 60 years, Wadzia; his daughter Joanna (Asha) and her husband Pawel Izdebski of Mellrichstadt, Germany; his son Waldemar and his wife, Natthaya of Chelmsford; and his grandsons Adrian and Konrad Izdebski.

He is also survived by his sister-in-law Helena and her husband Tadeusz Kolodziej, his brother-in-law Alexander Kozlowski, his nieces Lodzia Marchwinski, Maria Lechwar, and Christine Alpers; and his nephew Tony Kolodziej; along with their extended families.

Relatives and friends are invited to pay their respects on Monday February 6, 2023, from 4 to 7 pm at the Dracut Funeral Home, 2159 Lakeview Ave., Dracut. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock at the Holy Trinity Polish Church, 340 High Street, Lowell followed by his interment at Holy Trinity Cemetery, Lowell.

Service Details
Visitation
When
February 6, 2023 4:00pm - 7:00pm
Location
Dracut Funeral Home
Address
2159 Lakeview Avenue
Dracut, MA 01826

Interment
When
February 7, 2023
Location
Holy Trinity Polish Cemetery
Address
155 Boston Road
Lowell, MA 01852

Funeral Mass When
February 7, 2023 10:00am
Location
Holy Trinity Polish Church
Address
340 High Street
Lowell, MA 01852