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February 2, 2011
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, February 4, 2011 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM. Funeral Services will be held at 12 noon on Saturday, February 5, 2011 at the funeral home.
Mike Struz, age 86 of Wayne, died suddenly on Wednesday, February 2, 2011 after a brief illness. He had lived in Wayne since 1970.
Mike was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, one of six children. Sadly he lost both of his parents when still just a young child. To avoid foster care, his aunt and uncle took him in, along with one of his sisters. They grew up in Paterson and as soon as Mike finished high school, he joined the U.S. Navy.
During World War II he served aboard the USS Hawkbill SS-366, a submarine, throughout the Pacific Theatre, as a Torpedoman 1st Class. He did his torpedo training in Florida, and then was at the launching of the Hawkbill in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, January of 1944. As a member of the original crew, he was aboard during testing in the Great Lakes, and during her journey down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.
They passed through the Panama Canal and began operations in the Pacific. Aboard the Hawkbill, Mike served up and down the west coast, in the South Pacific, Philippine Sea, and the Japanese Islands on many successful patrols during the war. He saw the world during his time with the Navy and really enjoyed every bit of it. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii for many years, and had his own apartment off-base in Pearl City. He also served as a recruiter in Michigan for a few years towards the end of his Navy career. He concluded his active duty in 1963 and officially retired from the U.S. Navy in 1973, after a thirty year career.
He opened the Marybrook Diner on Goffle Road in Hawthorne with his cousins in 1963 and they operated that together for seven years before Mike decided to retire. Mike was an avid reader and has a collection of books to rival any library, along with a music collection that’s equally large. He was introduced to ice hockey while serving in Michigan and quickly became a big fan of the sport. He followed the NY Rangers closely and enjoyed watching them play at every chance he got.
Mike had a great sense of humor and was able to find the funny side of just about everything. He always had a witty comment to offer and on the day before he passed he was asking the nurses if they could put beer into his IV bag. He could always find a way to make you laugh and he had a collection of funny phrases that he’d use like “money isn’t everything, but don’t get caught without any.” He would also tell you that “you haven’t lived until you’ve fought your way out of a bar, back-to-back with your buddies.”
Mike’s family gave him an unexpected treat this year as they all gathered at his house during the Christmas Holiday. Mike was thrilled to have everyone there and little did they know at that time what a blessing it would be that they all were able to spend the holiday together.
Mike is survived by his sisters Pauline Grecco and Anne Churik, his devoted nephews; William Struz and his fiancé Josie Gaughan, of Paterson and Robert Struz and his fiancé Ann Opirhory, of Hawthorne, Warren Struz and his wife Patricia of North Haledon, and his nieces; Carol MacKinnon and her husband Larry of Upper Greenwood Lake and Linda Struz. He was predeceased by his sister Olga, his brothers John and William, and one nephew; Thomas Struz.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, February 4, 2011 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM. Funeral Services will be held at 12 noon on Saturday, February 5, 2011 at the funeral home.
February 2, 2011
Services
Friends may visit with the family at the Vander May Wayne Colonial Funeral Home, 567 Ratzer Road, Wayne, on Friday, February 4, 2011 from 2-4 & 7-9 PM. Funeral Services will be held at 12 noon on Saturday, February 5, 2011 at the funeral home.
Mike Struz, age 86 of Wayne, died suddenly on Wednesday, February 2, 2011 after a brief illness. He had lived in Wayne since 1970.
Mike was born in Jersey City, New Jersey, one of six children. Sadly he lost both of his parents when still just a young child. To avoid foster care, his aunt and uncle took him in, along with one of his sisters. They grew up in Paterson and as soon as Mike finished high school, he joined the U.S. Navy.
During World War II he served aboard the USS Hawkbill SS-366, a submarine, throughout the Pacific Theatre, as a Torpedoman 1st Class. He did his torpedo training in Florida, and then was at the launching of the Hawkbill in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, January of 1944. As a member of the original crew, he was aboard during testing in the Great Lakes, and during her journey down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico.
They passed through the Panama Canal and began operations in the Pacific. Aboard the Hawkbill, Mike served up and down the west coast, in the South Pacific, Philippine Sea, and the Japanese Islands on many successful patrols during the war. He saw the world during his time with the Navy and really enjoyed every bit of it. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii for many years, and had his own apartment off-base in Pearl City. He also served as a recruiter in Michigan for a few years towards the end of his Navy career. He concluded his active duty in 1963 and officially retired from the U.S. Navy in 1973, after a thirty year career.
He opened the Marybrook Diner on Goffle Road in Hawthorne with his cousins in 1963 and they operated that together for seven years before Mike decided to retire. Mike was an avid reader and has a collection of books to rival any library, along with a music collection that’s equally large. He was introduced to ice hockey while serving in Michigan and quickly became a big fan of the sport. He followed the NY Rangers closely and enjoyed watching them play at every chance he got.
Mike had a great sense of humor and was able to find the funny side of just about everything. He always had a witty comment to offer and on the day before he passed he was asking the nurses if they could put beer into his IV bag. He could always find a way to make you laugh and he had a collection of funny phrases that he’d use like “money isn’t everything, but don’t get caught without any.” He would also tell you that “you haven’t lived until you’ve fought your way out of a bar, back-to-back with your buddies.”
Mike’s family gave him an unexpected treat this year as they all gathered at his house during the Christmas Holiday. Mike was thrilled to have everyone there and little did they know at that time what a blessing it would be that they all were able to spend the holiday together.
Mike is survived by his sisters Pauline Grecco and Anne Churik, his devoted nephews; William Struz and his fiancé Josie Gaughan, of Paterson and Robert Struz and his fiancé Ann Opirhory, of Hawthorne, Warren Struz and his wife Patricia of North Haledon, and his nieces; Carol MacKinnon and her husband Larry of Upper Greenwood Lake and Linda Struz. He was predeceased by his sister Olga, his brothers John and William, and one nephew; Thomas Struz.
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