Special to the Record
Chester Zaremba, a member of the Greatest Generation who served his country during World War II and the Korean Conflict, died on July 29, 2023, one month shy of his 97th birthday.
Mr. Zaremba was a lifelong resident of Chelsea. He was a lifetime member and officer of the Polish American Veterans, Post 13, Chelsea. He was a devoted parishioner at St. Stanislaus Church on Chestnut Street, his lifelong church, and later at Our Lady of Grace Parish.
Mr. Zaremba was the father of four daughters, Anne Fisher and her husband, Martin, Susan Moore and her husband, John, Jane Szarythe and her husband, Richard “Turk”, and Nancy Dawson and her husband Jay.
The youngest of his four loving daughters, Nancy Zaremba Dawson, delivered a beautiful eulogy on behalf of her mother and sisters.
Nancy told of how her parents, Chester and Annie (McInnis) Zaremba, first met at a dance at the Polish Political Club in Chelsea.
“It’s where he met our sweet mom, Annie, a country girl from Danvers,” said Nancy. “Not only did he charm her into marrying him, but he even managed to turn her into a Chelsea girl.
“Dad proposed to her at the Union Oyster House in Boston. They married on November 24, 1956, marking the official start of Dad’s new family,” said Nancy.
Chester and Annie Zaremba would share close to 67 years of marriage, living in Chelsea and enjoying gatherings in the family’s summer home on Cape Cod.
Nancy began her remarks by quoting her father, who often said, “I got so much to do and no time to do it.”
“Though he always said there were things that needed to be fixed, paperwork that needed to be filled out, or half-finished projects that needed to be completed, he somehow always found the time for what was most important to him: faith, family, and service,” said Nancy.
She lovingly described her father, as “an extraordinary, ordinary man. He was simple, and people loved him for it. He was authentic. He was real. People knew he possessed a rare quality: he cared.
“Dad, if your purpose in life was to make the world a better place, you have succeeded. You did it all. You finished your race and you finished it strong. You will be remembered for your big heart, resilience, love for animals, home-cooked meals, contagious smile, and your sparkling blue eyes. I speak for all four of your girls when I say, ‘Thank you, for caring for us so deeply and so fully. What a gift it was to do the same for you.’’’
Nancy concluded her remarks by stating that through all the great memories of his life expressed collaboratively by his children and grandchildren, “Everything came back to one theme and that’s love – love for God, love for family, love for country, and a genuine love for life. We will miss you so much. Dad, it is our honor to give you your final salute.”
Warm, heartfelt applause emanated from the assemblage in the church following Nancy’s brilliantly composed tribute to her dear father’s remarkable life.
We at the Chelsea Record will forever remember his visits to our office in Revere where he would greet everyone with a warm smile. Mr. Zaremba was quite humble about his record of outstanding military service to his country and was so eminently proud of his four daughters. “As Nancy stated so eloquently at the Funeral mass last Friday, ‘He lived his life with a purpose and left a lasting impression on everyone lucky enough to know him.’”