Victor Hanusewicz

Victor Hanusewicz, of Butler, passed away June 15, 2016. He was born in Holszany, Poland. At eight years old his family and hundreds of thousands of Poles were deported by the Soviet Union to Siberia in animal boxcars and were sent to barracks as refugees in Uzbekistan. He and his brother were separated from their mother and placed on a ship to Tehran, then traveling to Iran, Pakistan, and India. He and his fellow refugees then traveled through the Arabian Sea and the Indian ocean to South Africa. He was one of 500 Polish children that lived in the Oudtshoorn, South African Polish Orphanage. He was ultimately separated from his brother but later were reunited. Because they were grown, they didn't recognize each other. Their mother found them later on. The family left the orphanage and sailed to Mombasa, Kenya, then took a train to the Uganda Polish Settlement in Masindi, East Africa. He lived there until he turned 16. In 1948 he arrived in France where he lived in Marseille. He had a job at a winery, climbing into the wine barrels to clean them. He later moved to Northern France and worked as a gardener. There he met his wife, Irene Kowalczyk. They were married and moved to the U.S. settling in Brooklyn. They later moved to Paterson and he went to school to become a welder. In 1974 they moved to Butler. After retiring he enjoyed gardening and building children's wagons. He especially enjoyed helping his children with all sorts of projects around their houses. Victor is survived by his beloved daughters, Helen Cherniak and husband Raymond and Janine Day and husband Rich and his cherished grandchildren, Jessica Cherniak and Michael and Christina Day. Victor was pre deceased by his devoted wife in 2009. A funeral Mass will be offered on Friday, June 17th ,2016 11 AM at St. Anthony's RC Church, Butler, NJ. Burial to follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Butler, NJ. Arrangements entrusted to The Morrison Funeral Home, Butler, NJ. SERVICES Mass Friday, June 17, 2016 11:00 AM St. Anthony RC Church 65 Bartholdi Ave Butler, NJ 07405 Burial Friday, June 17, 2016 12:00 PM Mt. Calvary Cemetery Bartholdi Ave. Butler, NJ 07405