Mickey Sedlak Sayreville lost an important part of the community last week with the passing of longtime volunteer Michael “Mickey” Sedlak.
A World War II hero who for decades volunteered his time as the borough’s recreation director, Sedlak, 86, passed away Jan. 21 at the Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy.
“This week, the borough said goodbye to a very special person — a friend, a volunteer, a patriot, a veteran,” Mayor Kennedy O’Brien said during the Jan. 24 Borough Council meeting.
Sedlak was born in Brooklyn, N.Y., and had lived in Woodbridge before moving to Sayreville in 1950.
During World War II, Sedlak gained recognition for a number of feats while fighting on the front lines in Europe as a member of the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division. He received two Purple Heart medals for being wounded in action, two Bronze Stars and a Presidential Citation. After the war, he met his wife Cathleen at a dance in South River, and the couple had two children, raising them in Sayreville. Eventually they had two grandchildren. Cathleen died in 2009.
Sedlak worked as a millwright for Carborundum Corp. in the Keasbey section of Woodbridge for 36 years, retiring in 1986. At the same time, he was also supervising Sayreville’s recreation programs. Sedlak spent 56 years with Sayreville recreation, 35 of them as a volunteer. He instituted many programs including youth sports leagues, a women’s softball league, bocce ball for seniors, and cricket in Kennedy Park. He also worked with the Sayreville Association for Brain Injured Children, and was known to dress up as the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus for BIC events.
“He dedicated his life to the youth of our community,” said Borough Council President Ken Kelly, a close friend of Sedlak’s.
Councilwoman Lisa Eicher agreed.
“My entire life I’ve known Mickey. He was wonderful for the children in town,” Eicher said.
In 2002, Sedlak made it clear why he was so involved in promoting sports for children in the borough.
“All I want to do is work for the children. I want to make sure every little kid has got a right to play basketball, football, soccer, baseball, jai alai … whatever he or she chooses,” he said. Sedlak worked tirelessly on various sporting and recreation programs around town. He was an umpire for high school, college and minor leagues for over 50 years. Sedlak also worked as a professional scout for the Cleveland Indians and Pittsburgh Pirates.
“When Iwas 13, he taught me how to umpire,” Councilman Dan Buchanan said. “He was a great man; you can go around town and see his name everywhere,”
In recognition of Sedlak’s work with baseball, a chapter of the New Jersey State Federation of Umpires that he helped co-found was named after him.
The Sayreville recreation center on Dolan Street is also named in honor of Sedlak, who retired as recreation director in 2006.
During the meeting, Kelly reflected on the time he spent with Sedlak, noting that a few months ago he and former Councilman Stanley Drwal visited Sedlak in order to cheer him up. He said the three had a great time looking at photos and memorabilia and telling stories aboutWorldWar II.
“[He was] always a gentleman, always a friend. His like will never be seen in the borough again,” Kelly said.
Sedlak is survived by his daughter Nancy, of Sayreville, his son Ron and daughter-in-law Jeanne, of Flemington, his granddaughters Amanda and Dana, his sisters Barbara Batha of Pennsylvania and Mary Caliendo of South Carolina, and his sister-in-law Jennie Furslew of Sayreville, according to his obituary.
Funeral services were held Monday at the Carmen F. Spezzi Funeral Home in Parlin. Donations may be made in his name to the Sayreville Association for Brain Injured Children, 251 Jernee Mill Road, Sayreville, NJ 08872.