EUGENE “GENE” STANLEY DZIEDZIC
1923 – 2015

Asleep in his beloved home on Lacey Street, just before dawn four days short of his 93rd birthday, Gene Dziedzic’s heart, weakened by acute aortic stenosis, stopped beating. He thus passed quietly to the peace and tranquility of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Gene was preceded in death by his father and mother, Stanley and Sophia (Mrowinski) Dziedzic, and his brother, Bob, of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and two sisters: Evelyn “Chick” Nirschl of Appleton, Wisconsin and Juanita “Nita” Rasmussen, formerly of Lacey, Washington. Two other sisters survive him: Arlene Nielson of Milwaukee, and Pat O’Laughlin of New Berlin, Wisconsin.

Gene is also survived by Shirley, his wife of 67½ years, and seven children, all of whom he was pleased to see graduate from college: Michael (Bonnie) of Washington D.C., Paul of Issaquah; Bob (Sandy) of Olympia, Mary (Tony Mailhot) of West Olympia, John (Shelley) of Tumwater, Cecile (Richard Storvick) of Lacey, and Charmaine (Patrick Pesznecker). Gene also leaves behind a foster daughter, Sandra Przdick of Port Orchard, 18 grandchildren, and 14 great-grandchildren, with one on the way.

Fulfilling what he felt was his duty as a “citizen soldier”, Gene “volunteered to be drafted” into the US Army in August 1944. He saw combat in the spring of 1945, as the 36th Division’s 143rd Regiment fought north of Strasbourg, France, crossed the Siegfried Line into Germany, and liberated the Landsberg concentration camp. Gene’s unit, Company A, received a Presidential Citation for these efforts, and Gene was awarded both a Bronze Star for valor, and a Purple Heart.

After the war, Gene attended Washington State College, receiving both Bachelor and Master of Science degrees. While attending WSC, he met Shirley walking home from church with his Sigma Xi brothers. Gene and Shirley married in La Conner in June 1948. They began their life together in Walla Walla, where Gene was a biologist with the Washington State Department of Game.

The family moved to Lacey on Labor Day weekend, 1960. Gene continued dedicating his life’s work to conserving and protecting nature, a philosophy he adopted as a teenager when, with the Civilian Conservation Corp, he helped re-forest the hills west of Lake Superior. He eventually became the Game Department’s Chief of Environmental Management. The Washington Environmental Council named Gene “Public Official of the Year” in 1976, and “Conservationist of the Year” in 1990.

Gene was also involved in local community affairs. He was elected to the Thurston County Board of Freeholders in 1989, was a founding member of the Carnegie Group, and was a long-time, active supporter of the Nisqually Delta Association. Gene also served on the City of Lacey Parks Board and spearheaded the dedication of the Lake Lois Habitat Reserve.

In retirement, Gene spent time gardening, creating nature-themed crafts, baking bread, cooking, reading, doing crossword puzzles, rooting for the Green Bay Packers and the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves (along with the Seahawks and Mariners), watching political talk shows on any channel except FOX, and enjoying his extended family at his favorite place on earth: the family home in Lacey, which he fashioned as his own personal Walden Pond.

As was his wish, Gene’s ashes were interred in a private ceremony on January 14, 2016. However, Gene did acquiesce to the family’s desire for a memorial that others could attend, but only if it was held “without any falderal.” Such an event is planned for late June 2016. The family suggests, in lieu of flowers, that those so inclined make a donation in Gene’s name to the “Friends of Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge.”

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