Soldier’s story

Family appreciates sacrifices made by dad who served country

By: Eric Schwarz
   Michael Zedowsky, 83, was never afraid to get his “hands dirty.”
   He served in the Army during World War II (1941-45) and came back to raise a family of seven children.
   His ex-wife, June Zedowsky of Hillsborough, acknowledged that Mr. Zedowsky’s experiences in battle made him become distant from the rest of the family. But as Father’s Day approaches, his family appreciates the sacrifices he made and role model he played for them.
   He never missed a day of work in a 25-year career as a truck mechanic at National Freight of South Somerville. And he provided well for their seven children, ranging in age from 47 to 28.
   The Zedowskys’ oldest daughter, June Ann, lives with her father on South 14th Avenue in Manville.
   “As his daughter I respect him a lot about fighting for the country and everything,” said June Ann, the oldest of the siblings. “I’d say that he faced a lot of challenges by being in the Army and everything.
   “When they called him he had no alternative,” she said.
   In addition to June Ann, Mr. Zedowsky has six other grown children, Rita, Darlene, Allan, Mickey, Mark and Bruce, and four grandchildren.
   “He was a hard worker,” said June Zedowsky, 69. The couple divorced in 1991. “He never was out of work a day of his life.
   “He did instill in his children to work hard,” she said. “They all worked at a very early age.”
   “He always told them, this is a beautiful country but you got to work hard.”
   Mr. Zedowsky served as a technician fifth grade in the service, which is similar to a sergeant position.
   Mr. Zedowsky remembered many hard times, and in an interview said a couple of times, “It’s a great life if you don’t weaken.
   “They drafted me right into Fort Dix,” he said. “We slept in fox holes, went through jungles. I had malaria.”
   He was honored in May with New Jersey’s top military honor, the Distinguished Service Award. He received the medal to add to a case full of other wartime honors, in a ceremony in Lawrenceville.
   He wants to go back to Hawaii, where he served for some time in the service, June Ann Zedowsky said.
   “Mark and Bruce and I might take him to the Big Island of Hawaii, maybe for about four days,” June Ann Zedowsky said. “He wants to see how it’s changed.”
   Mr. Zedowsky still keeps in touch with one of his Army buddies, Arnold Sherand of Leeds, N.Y.
   The two served as technicians fifth grade in the Army’s 27th Infantry, 25th Division, Tropical Lightning.
   “When I talked to this gentleman he spoke very highly of Mike,” June Ann Zedowsky said.
   She talked with Mr. Sherand on the phone about four weeks ago, and Mr. Sherand recalled fondly her father and looked at a picture of the two of them as they spoke.
   “The friend called again,” June Ann Zedowsky said. “He wants to come with his wife, take him and me to dinner, to a nice Italian restaurant.”
   “He’s never been sick a day in his life until last year,” said June Zedowsky, the ex-wife. “He doesn’t have any pain, or diabetes or a serious heart condition.”
   “The good Lord above is watching me,” Mr. Zedowsky said.
   “All seven children are proud, he fought for the country,” June Ann Zedowsky said. “I hope he gets his wish to live to 100.”