Kazimierz S. Werder

Kazimierz S. Werder, age 79, of Butler, passed peacefully at home on Saturday, February 6, 2021.

He was born and raised on the family farm in Chorzele, Poland. He attended vocational school and learned the craft of watch/clock and jewelry repair. As part of his certification and graduation project he was tasked with making a working clock by hand. After vocational school he served a compulsory two years in the Polish Military at the height of the “Cold War,” he was an Air Defense Radar Specialist.

After his service in the military Kazimierz worked at the fishing docks in Gdynia for a short time and later pursued his career in the jewelry and watch repair business. He worked at a jewelry firm called Jubiler for over twenty years serving his last three years managing the watch and jewelry repair company in Gdansk, Poland. Kazimierz would often reminisce about his travels to Moscow for an annual conference related to his craft. His children recall that those conferences resulted in dad bringing home gifts and chocolates.  He enjoyed his pastime Saturday tradition of him and his brother-in-law Stasiu tinkering in the garage on his car. Kazimierz would spend his evenings repairing jewelry and watches for friends and family, while his kids helped with finding the miniscule parts and pieces when dropped.

While commuting to work at the fishing docks Kazimierz took notice of a lovely girl named Waltraud, eventually working up the nerve to ask her out. Their first date was Sept. 19th, 1960, they went to see a movie. The relationship bloomed into love and the young couple married on December 26th, 1963 in their hometown of Gdynia. They were blessed with three beautiful children as Waltraud gave birth to Beata, Joanna, and Robert. Kazimierz and Waltraud were the most loving of parents and, while they did the best they could to give their children happy and fulfilling lives, they felt constrained by the lack of opportunity that their Polish homeland offered. In 1987, while Waltraud remained in Poland with Beata and Joanna, Kazimierz and Robert, who was ten years old at the time, came to the United States to join Kazimierz’ family in pursuit of the American dream. In 1991, after Kazimierz found work in the US and got settled, Waltraud and Joanna, who was 17 at the time, joined them in the United States.  Beata chose to remain in Poland. The family originally settled in Harrison where Kazimierz worked at Pechter’s Bakery as an oven operator in Harrison from 1988 through about 2007 and in the last year of his employment they moved to Pennsylvania, they loved their weekend scenic road trips. Eventually, moving back to New Jersey to be closer to their kids they moved into Robert and Edith’s home in Wallington. After Waltraud’s passing Kazimierz moved to live in Butler.

Many will remember Kazimierz’s love of humor.  He was great at telling jokes and never missed a punch line. His humor was unique and non-stop. He was the kind of guy who lived by his routines, had a great memory, and was a captivating story teller. He loved pork chops and potatoes!  Waltraud would recount how she had to make him potatoes on the day of their son Robert and Edith’s wedding. He loved reading about history and politics and was an avid newspaper reader. He loved fishing in area lakes and at the Delaware River in Pennsylvania.  Another of both his and his wife Waltraud’s favorite pastimes was going to Atlantic City. They enjoyed playing the slot machines and long walks along the boardwalk.  During their retirement they also enjoyed taking long scenic drives. After Waltraud’s passing in 2014 Kazimierz would often go to Sandy Hook in memory of his wife who loved the ocean and sea shells. He regularly tended to her grave and placed sea shells on the headstone for her.

Kazimierz was the devoted husband of fifty-one years to the late Waltraud Werder (2014); loving father of Joanna and husband Anthony Tortora of Wayne, Robert and his wife Edith Werder of Butler, and the late Beata Jackowski (2014); cherished grandfather of Arianna, Marek, and Maciej and great-grandfather to Ignacy.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Kazimierz’s name are asked to consider DAV Disabled American Veterans, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301 or at  www.dav.org.