Walter L. Krystynak

WALTER LAWRENCE KRYSTYNAK, 92 PASSED AWAY OF NATURAL CAUSES AT VITALIA SENIOR LIVING WESTLAKE ON JUNE 29TH 2020

WALTER WAS THE VERY YOUNGEST OF THE FAMILY OF ANTHONY AND JOSEPHINE KRYSTYNAK – NUMBER 12. WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG CHILD HIS MOTHER PROCLAIMED, WITH A SONG IN HER VOICE, “HE’S MY WALTER RALEIGH!”

WALTER HAD MANY OLDER BROTHERS AND SISTERS TO APPRECIATE HIM. HIS SISTER GRACE, BEFORE HER PASSING, RECALLED A TIME THEIR MOTHER WRAPPED HIM UP TIGHTLY IN A BLANKET (WHEN HE WAS ABOUT A YEAR OLD) AND HANDED HIM TO HER TO CARRY OUTSIDE IN THE FRESH AIR UNTIL HE FELL QUIETLY TO SLEEP. (SHE WAS EIGHT.)

IN EARLY YEARS HE SHARED A BEDROOM WITH BROTHERS JOHNNY, VICTOR AND LOUIS IN THE TINY FAMILY HOUSE ON HOOVER HEIGHTS IN FOLLANSBEE WV.
ONE OF HIS UNFORGETTABLE MEMORIES WAS WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 14 YEARS OLD AND GOT TO DON A MAKE-SHIFT RED SUIT & WHITE BEARD AND HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF PASSING OUT THE FAMILY CHRISTMAS GIFTS TO EVERYONE.

AS A FRESHMAN IN HIGH SCHOOL WALTER WAS ASSIGNED TO THE CLASSROOM OF MISS HESS. SHE HAD BEEN A FAVORITE TEACHER TO SEVERAL OF US IN THE FAMILY. ENTERING HER CLASS IN 9TH GRADE SHE LOOKED OVER HER LIST OF NEW STUDENTS, LOOKED AT HIM, SMILED AND SAID, “ANOTHER KRYSTYNAK!” ONE DAY WHEN SHE ASKED FOR THE ANSWER TO ONE PARTICULAR (PROBABLY DIFFICULT) QUESTION. WALTER GOT THE RIGHT ANSWER AND SHE REWARDED HIM BY GIVING HIM THE APPLE OFF HER DESK! HE IS AMUSED TO RECALL, “IT HAD A WORM IN IT!”

AFTER THREE YEARS IN THE U.S. NAVY AS RADAR OPERATOR HE EARNED A B.S. DEGREE FROM THE COLLEGE OF STEUBENVILLE. THE ONLY ONE IN THE FAMILY WITH THIS ACHIEVEMENT. AFTER COLLEGE HE WAS HIRED AS A CHEMIST AT GENERAL ELECTRIC LIGHTING DIVISION IN CLEVELAND, OH WHERE HE MANAGED AN ANALYTICAL LAB UNTIL HIS JOYOUS RETIREMENT 33 YEARS LATER.

ALONG THE WAY, HE MET AND MARRIED MARY MARTHA HOLLAND AND BECAME FATHER TO LAWRENCE CHARLES AND MICHELLE, & PROUD GRANDFATHER OF 4, TIFFANY, MICHAEL, MONICA AND ALEX.

WALTER ENJOYED MANY TRAVELS BUT BECAME PARTICULARLY ENAMORED WITH SUNNY SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. SOON AFTER RETIREMENT HE PACKED IT ALL UP AND MOVED TO SUTTON PLACE APTS ON FULLER AVE IN THE HEART OF HOLLYWOOD. WALTER WROTE THE BOOK ON SOCIAL DISTANCING TRULY ENJOYED HIS LOW STRESS LIFESTYLE BUT ALSO VERY MUCH APPRECIATED THE OCEAN, JURASSIC PARK, ICE CREAM AND PEOPLE WATCHING AT UNIVERSAL CITY, INTERESTING PEOPLE, PHOTOGRAPHY, ART, MUSIC, MONTY PYTHON, TOBLERONE’S, AND LIFE IN GENERAL.

I LARRY, WILL ALWAYS CHERISH THE MEMORIES OF OUR FAMILY, MY WIFE NORA AND SON ALEX SPENDING OUR VACATIONS WITH GRANDPA IN L.A. EACH SUMMER. I KNOW THAT IT TOOK HIM OUT OF HIS COMFORT ZONE A BIT BUT ALWAYS THE GENTELMAN, HE WOULD TELL ME “THIS IS YOUR VACATION SO I’M UP FOR DOING WHATEVER YOU GUYS LIKE”.

DUE TO COMPLICATIONS FROM ALZHEIMERS HE MOVED BACK TO THE CLEVELAND AREA TO BE CLOSER TO FAMILY IN EARLY 2014 WHERE HE REMAINED UNTIL HIS DEATH.

MUCH OF THE TEXT AND EARLY MEMORIES INCLUDED IN THIS DOCUMENT WERE DRAWN FROM A FAMILY TREE COMPILED BY WALTER’S SISTER GRACE AND I’M SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE HAD THAT MATERIAL FROM WHICH TO DRAW.