Obituary: Michael Szapiaczan, 97, of Branford

Obituary courtesy of W. S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home:

Michael Szapiaczan of Branford went to be with his Lord and Savior on Friday June 16 at ARK Healthcare (Branford Hills Health Care). He was the husband of the late Oksanna Szapiaczan. He was the father of Mary Szapiaczan (Craig) of Branford and the late Luba Szapiaczan.Michael was born in Poland near the river San on November 1, 1925, the oldest of five children of Stanley and Maria Szapiaczan.

At his father’s urging and despite his mother’s tears, he left home at 15 years of age to seek a better life. After WWII, he, his wife, and oldest daughter were sponsored by friends and came to America in 1951. Years later they would all become naturalized citizens of the country they loved.

He proudly worked at the Atlantic Wire Company where he was a machinist. He had many stories of his time at Atlantic Wire and was very fond of the Hitchcock family and especially William Hitchcock Jr. who hired him even though he couldn’t speak English when he first started. He and his family belonged to St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in New Haven then later he became a communicant of St. Mary Church in Branford where he remained to the end of his life.

He was a simple man who led a simple life. To him he was blessed to live in a free country with his family and worship God without fear. He was forever grateful to this country and said there was no better place to live.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Thursday June 22 at 11:00 at St. Mary Church of St. John Bosco Parish in Branford. Burial will follow in St. Agnes Cemetery in Branford. Friends may call prior to the Mass from 9:30 – 10:30 at the W.S. Clancy Memorial Funeral Home, 244 North Main St. Branford.