In Memory of Stan Paczynski

Seonghwa

Dec 9

Written By Youth and Young Adult Ministry

Stanislaus Paczynski

Spouse: Caroline Paczynski Delacroix
Children: Sofia, Johanna, Steven, Andrew, Stacey, Matthew
Birthdate: May 3, 1947
Blessing: July 1, 1982
Ascension: May 31, 2022
Seonghwa Ceremony: June 4, 2022

Stan could intimidate you on first impression with his gruff exterior and a voice you would surely hear even if at a distance. A bear of a man, he was a tall man and was often referred to as, "Stan, the man.” Inside, he could be a real teddy bear. In character, he was cut and dry, and in his mind, there is no grey area—it was black or white. Stan owes his relentless character to his parents, Stefan and Zosia.

He loved speaking of God's words and will and was happiest when he could do so. For the last decade, he frequented the YMCA and McDonald’s, not for exercise and food, but to speak to people about the Divine Principle, God's purpose for human existence, God's will, and God’s heart. Those who came to know him really cared about him. They saw through his gruff exterior to the kind soul inside.

Stan first became sick 6 years ago when he was stricken by a ruptured aneurysm in January 2016. By God's miracle, he survived and recovered, though it was then recommended for him to use a walker to walk. In 2018, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer. A year later, the cancer was in remission. However, it eventually came back and spread into his bones.

Yet even when things were difficult, Stan and his wife, Caroline, would go to McDonald’s where they would work together connecting to people they met. To this day, there's always someone who greets Caroline and recalls something he or she experienced with Stan.

Throughout her marriage to Stan, Caroline was able to connect to Stan’s sisters and understand both Stan and his parent’s better through those connections and heart-to-heart conversations. Stan’s parents, Stefan and Zosia, both grew up in Poland and were very young when the country was invaded by Germany and Russia. Though they both experienced hardship and loss, they built a resilient and tenacious spirit. It is with this kind of spirit that Stan did everything he did—he was hard-working and dedicated to support his family and was driven to share with others what he believed, which is what gave him a strong purpose to live.

Stan ascended on May 31, 2022. He was at home with his family, receiving hospice care. He is survived by his wife, Caroline; children, Sofia, Johanna, Steven, Andrew, Stacey, Matthew; and several grandchildren.