Obituary of Michael F. Budowski

Family: Michael was the fifth born among 6 brothers and 3 sisters. Of those siblings, he is survived by a sister Jeanette (late Arthur) Sieczkarek, and sister-in-law late Eugene (Nancy) Budowski. He is predeceased by siblings Wanda, Albin, John, Thadeus, Edward, Leon, and Florence. Marines: As a member of the 4th Marine Division (at the age of 19), Michael served our country on the beaches of Iwo Jima. Two weeks into serving, a grenade found its way into his foxhole.  The explosion tore off his right leg starting at the knee. He was taken to a field hospital that had just been opened only one day before. He completed rehabilitation in a Philadelphia Navy hospital and 13 months later was discharged. For his service, he received the most prominent honor: the Purple Heart. Education after the Marines: Michael enrolled in an accreditation program started by the City of Buffalo and earned a high school degree. After that, he went on to earn an accounting degree at the University at Buffalo. He worked at Calspan in Cheektowaga for 25 years as an accountant. When the company was sold, he found work as the treasurer-manager at the Buffalo Service Credit Union. He retired in 1992. Tributes/Awards: In March 2016, he received the Stanley Blake Memorial Award for outstanding Sacrifice, Courage, and Patriotism from the Stanley Pulaski Association. In June of that same year,  Michael had the opportunity to participate in the Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. In February 2017, he was highlighted as an honorary Veteran at the Buffalo Sabres game. Lastly, he had a featured article in the Buffalo News section entitled: Saluting Our War Heroes, highlighting his story of all the ordeals endured during World War II. Involvement: Michael was also a founding member of the Frank L. Gierlach Post in Sloan, NY for the past 77 years. He was also active in his parish, St. John Vianney. He served on the Collections and Lawn Fete committees and was a member of the Holy Name Society. Personal: Michael was the father of four daughters from his first marriage to the late Jeanette Odrzywolski: Gail (Norman) Michael, Kim (Don) Grundtisch, Lori Maderer, and Lisa Budowski. The family expanded to include an additional 12 grandchildren: Nicholas, Matthew, Michael, and Benjamin Grundtisch, Stephanie (Adam) Boundy, Jonathan (Lisa) Maderer, Justin (Michelle) Maderer, Chelsea (Vince) Makowski, Allysa Maderer, and Greg (Claire) Michael, David (Lindsay) Michael, and Jillian (Ikenna) Smart. The family further expanded to include an additional loving 14 great grandchildren:  Mason, Parker, and  Amelia Boundy, Colton, Isabelle, Micah, Owen, Myles, Jack, and Gavin Maderer, and Vincent, Mary, Stella, and Camden Michael. Michael's family structure didn’t stop there. It grew even more in numbers when he remarried Lorraine Strzelewicz in 1999. He acquired another set of daughters: Gayle (Kenneth) Chrosniak, Diane (Armando) Abrams, and Joy (Bill) Rohring. This family added another set of grandchildren: the late Brian Abrams, Jennifer (Scott) Hayden, Gabrielle  Abrams, Joshua (Siobhan) and the late Christian Chrosniak, Stephanie (Benjamin) Timmons, Jamie (Joe) Grupp, Megan (Ben) Cooper, Cassie Saleh, and the late Andrea Perfetti. The family further grew with great grandchildren: Josiah and Elle Chrosniak, Devin and Adalyn Grupp, Eliana and Wyatt Cooper, Paul Timmons, Christopher, Steffany and Emalee Hayden, Michael Perfetti, and Jaxson Kozak. Michael was so blessed to have an immediate family as well as a blended family who truly adored him. Not many people have this opportunity, but Michael always opened his arms to all! It’s hard to forget someone who endlessly gave you so much to remember to all who met him. Your life here on earth was a beautiful story. As your story will now continue to be written by the angels in Heaven, know that our love for you will never cease. Rest in peace. We love you husband, dad, grandpa, great grandpa, brother, and uncle! You truly have been a HERO to all of us!