Andrzej (Andrew) Jerzy Krzeptowski's Obituary
Andrew Krzeptowski, 91 years old, 40-year resident of San Carlos, California peacefully passed away in his home on February 15, 2019.Andrew was born in Kolomyja, Poland on February 20, 1928. He had one sister, Krystyna born in 1926. His father Jozef was an officer in the Polish army. When World War II started in 1939, Jozef was taken to the internment camp in Hungary where he spent the next 5 years of his life. Andrew’s mother was actively involved in an underground movement and had to remain in hiding throughout the war years.In September of 1939, 11 year old Andrew and his sister Krystyna, separated from their parents, were taken in by their relatives living in Zakopane, a beautiful Polish mountain town where Andrew’s father grew up. They spent the next 5 years of their lives there, living in harsh conditions, helping the family with work on the farm.In addition to the farm work, Andrew worked as a taxi driver of a single horse drawn carriage. He collected small payments in cash and in food that crucially helped to support his family.After WW2 the family reunited, and they moved to Swidnica where Andrew attended High School and where he started on his dreams of going to America. He secretly studied English, so that one day when his dream came true, he would be able to speak the language and start his new, dream life.In communist Poland it was forbidden to take English classes, so at night he listened to an underground radio station, “Radio Free Europe”, where English lessons were broadcast.Andrew graduated from Warsaw Polytechnic (university) with the Masters of Mechanical Engineering degree. He got his first engineering job in a car factory in Warsaw. He married shortly after graduation to a beautiful woman, Marja Ziajowska, and they had one son Andrew (aka: Andy, Andrzejek).After several attempts to emigrate to America his dream finally came true. Andrew and his family landed in New York in December 1971. They lived in Brooklyn, New York for 7 years and later moved to California, where Andrew got a mechanical engineer job for GTE Lenkurt Microwave and Telecommunications company, and later for Lockheed Martin Aerospace and Defense company. He was the chief design engineer of the test fixtures for very delicate pre-flight testing of the Hubble Space Telescope Solar Array Panels.Andrew lived life to its fullest till the last day of his life. He loved sports. He played beach volleyball at Santa Cruz, CA and tennis for many years. He loved swimming, snow skiing, hiking, ballroom dancing and traveling. He was always energetic, full of life and new ideas for fix-it projects around his home.He was a strong man determined to survive through the most difficult times and to accomplish the most ambitious goals he set for himself. He loved his family and he built a solid, comfortable life for them. He can rest in peace knowing that they have an easier life than he did.Andrew is survived by Marja, his loving son Andy, (San Carlos), and his loving niece Kasia, (Redwood City).Friends and Family are welcome to attend the funeral service on Monday, February 25, 2019 at 1:00 pm at Skylawn Funeral Home & Memorial Park, Hwy 92 and Skyline Blvd., San Mateo, CA 94402. Chapel doors will open at 12:30 pm to begin seating.
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