COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: For over five decades, Walter Ujazdowski has been a pillar of community service within the Howard Beach community and at St. Helen’s Church. Ujazdowski began assisting at the church in July of 1960, starting out as an usher at mass. When the church wanted to open a school, Ujazdowski was named the chair of the school committee and helped raise funds for its construction. When there was a need for a bigger chapel to be built, he was once again named chair of that committee and helped raise close to $1 million.
Ujazdowski says he has taken whatever role in the church or school was necessary over the many years. Currently, Ujazdowski makes sure the church is open each morning prior to the 7 a.m. mass. He continues to be an usher more than 50 years after his first mass.
PERSONAL: Five grandchildren from two daughters keeps Ujazdowski busy when he is not helping at the church. He is especially proud that one grandchild is a Eucharistic Minister and three others are ushers, following their grandfather in service to the church. Ujazdowski still lives on 84th Street — right down the block from St. Helen’s — where he has lived since 1952. He grew up in Greenpoint, Brooklyn graduating from Brooklyn Tech and St. Francis College, where he graduated Summa Cum Laude.
JOB: Ujazdowski retired from the NYPD in 1986 after almost 40 years on the force. After coming home from serving in the Navy in World War II, Ujazdowski took the exams for the police and fire departments and the NYPD called him first. He spent his career in Manhattan and retired as a superior officer.
INSPIRATION: Growing up in Greenpoint, Ujazdowski’s parents were very active in St. Stanislaus. It was here that he learned the importance of a church in the community. Ujazdowski also mentions God as his inspiration. “I served because I was in love with God for all the kindness he gave me,” he said. “If I didn’t have the good Lord to watch over me, who knows where I would be.”
BIGGEST CHALLENGE: Ujazdowski remembered trying to get ahead in the police force and providing for his family as his biggest challenges. “The good Lord inspired me to do it,” said Ujazdowski. “I looked forward to saying a prayer for a good day and somehow got ahead.”
FAVORITE MEMORY: “Because I wrote and spoke Polish I was chosen to guard Pope John Paul II on his first trip to New York,” said Ujazdowski. The pope stayed at St. Patrick’s Cathedral over night as Ujazdowski stood guard, he said. When Ujazdowski got the chance to speak to him, the pope said there was a big boulevard in Poland with Ujazdowski’s last name. “It was very special,” Ujazdowski said.
By Billy Rennison
