Joseph Paul Makowiec
Born: November 16, 1926
Died: July 2, 2023
Joseph P Makowiec died Sunday, July 2 in DeKalb Junction, New York after a long life of 96 years. He was born November 16, 1926 in Elmira, New York, the youngest of eleven children of Joseph and Catherine Kluba Makowiec. He grew up in Elmira during the Depression and the Second World War. The first in his family to attend college, he was a freshman at Oswego State Teachers College when Uncle Sam called, and he served as a medic in the army of occupation in Europe. On his return, he finished his college degree and went to work for the City School District of Rochester, New York. Through the good offices of his brother and sister-in-law Tom and Margaret Makowiec, he met Lorene Cole, a young pharmacist then working at Rochester General Hospital. They married November 22, 1951 at Saint Anthony’s Church in Rochester and had two sons, Joseph and James. Lorene died in 1972, and he raised their two sons as a single parent. On retirement, he moved to his summer home in DeKalb Junction where he died, active to the last.
In addition to his parents and all his brothers and sisters, he was predeceased by his wife, Lorene, his son Jim and his longtime companion Jane Honan. He is survived by his son Joseph and his wife Judith; and his daughter-in-law Ann Makowiec. Beloved Dziadzio of Mary Makowiec (Adriel Rodriguez); Matthew and Daniella Makowiec and great-grandson Lucas; Sara and Adam Simbeck; Kathryn Makowiec (Scott Venettis); and Molly Makowiec. In addition, he is survived by a number of nieces, nephews and grandnieces and nephews and the extended Murray / McLaughlin clan of Oswego.
In paradisum deducant te angeli…
