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Services
Friends may visit with the family from 2 – 5 PM on Friday, June 3, 2016 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. A funeral service will be held 5 PM on Friday at the conclusion of the visitation hours.
George F. Kunzig age 81 of Wayne passed, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s Disease, Sunday, May 29, 2016 with the comfort of his family by his side.
He was born and raised at 92 North 6th Street in Paterson having moved to Wayne in 1985.
George served in the United States Navy during the Korean War, and served on the USS Albany, a heavy cruiser. During George’s service years the USS Albany served as the flagship for the Commander, Battleship-Cruiser Force in the Atlantic. He served a total of three years and nine months with three years and four of those months served aboard the USS Albany. Upon his discharge on December 20, 1955 he received the National Defense Service Medal and the Navy Occupation Service Medal. Having their only child home for Christmas must have been a wonderful gift to his parents George and Wilma.
As a young man he worked as a laborer for Confrancesco Construction in Paterson doing road and utility installation work. He became a police officer for the City of Paterson in 1961, proudly serving the department, and working his way through the ranks and retiring as acting Lieutenant in 1989. After being at home for a few years he took on a civilian job as a clerk in the Auto Squad of the Paterson Police. He officially retired in May of 2010.
George loved three things in life: his family, his profession, and his country. He bled red, white, and blue and was a proud sailor and cop to the end. He was best known for his incredible sense of humor with a vulgar, down to earth, sarcastic, and funny wit that naturally drew people to him. His legacy will be that of an honorable man who enjoyed life, loved to laugh, socialize and make people smile. He was proud to have been the first three generation family to service in the Paterson Police Department (George 1961-1989), his son Michael Kunzig (Lieutenant 1984-2010), and his grandson Kevin Kunzig (2007-present). George loved being a Paterson Police Officer and served most of his career in the Detective Bureau where he was part of many investigations and intricate criminal cases. He was a proud member of PBA Local #1 and a former member of the Passaic Valley Elks Lodge 2111.
He met a cute girl named Dolores Dombrowski through his cousins Dena and Billy. Their first date was to the movies in Fair Lawn. George, while taking the bus into New York with Dolores, proposed marriage. They married on January 19, 1957 at Saint Stanislaw Church in Garfield and had their reception at a place called Yaroz (Polish for Pub) in Garfield. They honeymooned at their apartment at 92 North 6th Street in Paterson. The two truly had no money but they had a love that was impossible to hide.
George was the loving husband of fifty-nine years to Dolores; he was the devoted father of Michael Kunzig and his wife Linda of Wayne and a much cherished grandfather to Kevin Michael Kunzig and Erica Lynn Kunzig.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Alzheimer’s New Jersey, 400 Morris Ave., Suite 251, Denville, NJ 07834 or you could lift a glass of wine, do a shot, or a simply drink and toast George’s name and memory – any of the aforementioned would be equally appreciated.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family from 2 – 5 PM on Friday, June 3, 2016 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. A funeral service will be held 5 PM on Friday at the conclusion of the visitation hours.
Services
Friends may visit with the family from 2 – 5 PM on Friday, June 3, 2016 at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne. A funeral service will be held 5 PM on Friday at the conclusion of the visitation hours.
George F. Kunzig age 81 of Wayne passed, after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer’s Disease, Sunday, May 29, 2016 with the comfort of his family by his side.
He was born and raised at 92 North 6th Street in Paterson having moved to Wayne in 1985.
George served in the United States Navy during the Korean War, and served on the USS Albany, a heavy cruiser. During George’s service years the USS Albany served as the flagship for the Commander, Battleship-Cruiser Force in the Atlantic. He served a total of three years and nine months with three years and four of those months served aboard the USS Albany. Upon his discharge on December 20, 1955 he received the National Defense Service Medal and the Navy Occupation Service Medal. Having their only child home for Christmas must have been a wonderful gift to his parents George and Wilma.
As a young man he worked as a laborer for Confrancesco Construction in Paterson doing road and utility installation work. He became a police officer for the City of Paterson in 1961, proudly serving the department, and working his way through the ranks and retiring as acting Lieutenant in 1989. After being at home for a few years he took on a civilian job as a clerk in the Auto Squad of the Paterson Police. He officially retired in May of 2010.
George loved three things in life: his family, his profession, and his country. He bled red, white, and blue and was a proud sailor and cop to the end. He was best known for his incredible sense of humor with a vulgar, down to earth, sarcastic, and funny wit that naturally drew people to him. His legacy will be that of an honorable man who enjoyed life, loved to laugh, socialize and make people smile. He was proud to have been the first three generation family to service in the Paterson Police Department (George 1961-1989), his son Michael Kunzig (Lieutenant 1984-2010), and his grandson Kevin Kunzig (2007-present). George loved being a Paterson Police Officer and served most of his career in the Detective Bureau where he was part of many investigations and intricate criminal cases. He was a proud member of PBA Local #1 and a former member of the Passaic Valley Elks Lodge 2111.
He met a cute girl named Dolores Dombrowski through his cousins Dena and Billy. Their first date was to the movies in Fair Lawn. George, while taking the bus into New York with Dolores, proposed marriage. They married on January 19, 1957 at Saint Stanislaw Church in Garfield and had their reception at a place called Yaroz (Polish for Pub) in Garfield. They honeymooned at their apartment at 92 North 6th Street in Paterson. The two truly had no money but they had a love that was impossible to hide.
George was the loving husband of fifty-nine years to Dolores; he was the devoted father of Michael Kunzig and his wife Linda of Wayne and a much cherished grandfather to Kevin Michael Kunzig and Erica Lynn Kunzig.
In lieu of flowers memorial donations to the Alzheimer’s New Jersey, 400 Morris Ave., Suite 251, Denville, NJ 07834 or you could lift a glass of wine, do a shot, or a simply drink and toast George’s name and memory – any of the aforementioned would be equally appreciated.
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