Walter Leon Babjak, age 95, of Pompton Plains, previously of Pines Lake in Wayne, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 29, 2018.

Walter’s life began in memorable fashion, with the doctor traveling to their house in Irvington N.J. though a raging snow storm to deliver him. By the time the doctor arrived, baby Walter and his mother Marion were in distress. The situation was so grave, that at one point the doctor asked Walter’s father, “Do you want me to save the baby or your wife?” When Walter was delivered he wasn’t breathing and was turning blue. It took the desperate, but heroic, act of Walter’s grandmother to help him breath by plunging him into a bucket of ice cold water.  Despite this near tragedy, Walter’s life was a very good and full life that would span ninety-five years.

Walter was raised in Irvington, N.J. where he and his friends liked to swim in the local Tuscan Farms swimming hole and sleigh ride in the winter. Walter was the son of Ukrainian immigrants from the Austro-Hungarian Empire.  His father and mother came to the US when they were young, his mother coming on the eventually ill-fated RMS Lusitania.

After graduating from Irvington High School in 1940, Walter began a career that would span 28 years with the Bendix Corporation where he rose to the position of Purchasing Manager. While working for Bendix, he was called away in 1946 to serve in the U.S. Army. World War II was nearly over, so Walter remained stateside, serving in Kansas and Colorado. Upon his return to civilian life, the U.S. Army awarded him with the World War II Victory Medal.

Walter resumed work at the Bendix Corporation while simultaneously attending Seton Hall University courtesy of the G.I. Bill. He was especially proud of the fact that he graduated from Seton Hall University in just three (3) years. At Bendix he was involved in working on the Apollo Spacecraft.  With a Bachelor’s degree added to his credentials, Walter was ramping up his career, only to be drafted again, this time serving in Korea during the Korean War. While there, he was on a train which sustained enemy fire. Walter survived the terrible ordeal.  Unfortunately, his time in Korea caused significant loss of hearing as well as nightmares from the battles fought. Walter attained the rank of Staff Sergeant and, was honorably discharged in 1951. While there he earned the Korean Service Medal with two Bronze Service Stars, and a Distinguished Unit Citation.

Walter met his beloved wife Norma Kath on a blind date set up by mutual friends. On that first night out together, a nervous Norma spilled her drink on Walter.  Despite the mishap, they fortunately continued to date and eventually married on December 6, 1952 at the Westfield Presbyterian Church.  Norma’s parents were married twenty-five (25) years earlier on this same date and Dec. 6 was also Walter’s father’s birthday. One of the first meals Norma served Walter was corn beef hash left over from WWII.  Walter was quick to share that it was something he ate every day during his Army service in Korea and he hoped he would never have to eat it again.  He never did.

After the wedding, the newlyweds moved initially to Utica, NY when Bendix Corporation transferred him and then moved back to central N.J. a couple of years later.   In 1956, he and Norma decided to take a risk and move to the country in N.J. rather than remain in the city life of central N.J.  They had the foresight to choose Pines Lake, a beautiful log cabin vacation lake community in Wayne that was being developed and which drew many young families.  At Pines Lake, Walter, Norma and their children had a very active and happy social life making many friends at the lake.  The family would swim, fish and sail on their tiny sailboat at the lake with their friends.  It was really a wonderful place to live and grow a family. Ten years later they moved across the lake to a larger home that Walter renovated. After raising their three children and finishing his career at Singer Kearfott in Wayne in 1998, Walter and Norma moved to the Stoneybrook section of Sarasota, Florida. This new home was like a paradise to Walter because it afforded him the ability to play golf everyday on some pretty special courses. They remained in Florida for the next fifteen years before moving back to New Jersey and settling at the Cedar Crest Village in Pompton Plains.

Walter never had a problem keeping active and happily occupied during his lifetime.  His skills were very diverse and if he did not know how to do something he quickly taught himself how.  He built a workroom and finished a basement in his first house and completed extensive renovations at his second house in Pines Lake.  He could lay tile, build shelving and cabinets as well as plumbing and electrical.  Walter was also an avid gardener, who planted fruit trees and berry bushes among many other beautiful flowing shrubs and trees and other significant landscaping.  Walter even built toys for his children such as skate boards, by taking old roller skate wheels and attaching them to wood planks he cut into the right shape, which his kids would ride down very steep hills.  He also built the best tree house in the neighborhood and it became the place to play in the neighborhood. Walter built floats and full size Pinewood Derby racecars for the Pines Lake 4th of July parade every year.  Mostly Walter was an extremely skilled woodworker, who designed and built his own furniture including some gorgeous sideboards that were displayed in his own home. He also enjoyed restoring antique furniture.  He would purchase antiques on their antiquing trips to the Jersey shore during family vacations, much to the dismay of his children who wished they were at the beach (but who now appreciate the antiques).  He would carefully bring furniture back to their original beauty and luster.  Over time he gained an interest in carving decoys.  Walter was a self taught, very skilled decoy carver, who developed his own unique style and who sold his decoys up and down the east coast.  He created a decoy carving business called the Rudy Duck.  Walter won numerous awards for authenticity and fans of his beautiful decoys came back time-over-time to purchase additional decoys.  

Above all else, Walter’s family was his greatest joy. Growing up he was very close to his sister Leona (Lee), his mother Marion and his father Leon.  He and Lee played and hung out together all through their school years.  He was very protective of his sister.  He along with his wife, children, sister and nieces would also visit his parents every week.  The visits and dinners were warm family weekly events.  Walter and Norma’s children will also always look back and remember the social gatherings at their house and the great vacations down the Jersey shore camping in Cape May, Stone Harbor, Sea Isle City, as well as up north in Cape Cod Massachusetts and on down to Washington, DC, camping by the side of the Potomac River. When the blessings of grandchildren came into their lives, Walter and Norma looked forward to their visits at their home in Florida.

Walter’s faith was also an important part of his life. He prayed daily throughout his life.  His parents were Ukrainian Orthodox, and he attended Catholic schools for most all of his schooling.  He and Norma were very active members of the St. Michaels Church in Wayne for more than sixteen (16) years, where Walter served on various committees at the church and taught Sunday School.  They also attended Preakness Reformed Church for twenty one (21) years, and when they moved to Florida, they regularly attended the Church of the Palms.

Those who knew Walter well will miss his laid back nature.  He was a very kind and patient father who would take the time to teach his children how to do many of the things he was so skilled at.  He played many fun games and tricks with his family and children.  Walter and Norma regularly played Bridge throughout their lives with many different groups of people.  Walter also regularly volunteered in his community serving at various times on committees for the St. Michaels and Church of the Palms churches he attended as well as his communities of Pines Lake and Stoneybrook.  Walter was a planner and he also liked to read financial newspapers and was interested in business, financial investing and the stock market.

Walter was the beloved husband of Norma (nee Kath); loving father of 3 children: Kathie Babjak Genge (husband George Genge, son Jason and daughter Nicole McConnell, her husband Ian Mc Connell) of Fairfax, VA; Kevin Babjak of Topeka, KS (and his son Sean, Sean’s wife Heather and their children Connor and Cooper) of Wichita Kansas, and Timothy Babjak (wife Dena, son Austin, and daughter Ashley) of Wayne; Walter cherished his children, grandchildren and great grand children;  Walter, was the dear brother of Leona “Lee” Forster of Louisville, Kentucky; and dear uncle of Patty Cunningham and Maureen Simon.

In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy in Walter’s name are asked to consider a gift to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America, and American Cancer Society.