Dr. V. Polomsky

FRANKFORT — John Victor Polomsky, of Glen Lake, passed away on Thursday, July 14, 2011, at the age of 80, after a wonderful day of fishing with his family. John Victor Polomsky was born on Aug. 12, 1930, in Cleveland, Ohio, to the late Charles and Frances Polomsky. He married Antonina Valentina Borrello, of Saginaw, on June 13, 1956. In 1995 John and Ann retired to Glen Lake, where they recently celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary. She survives him, along with their five children; son, John Victor Polomsky II, Attorney at Law, of Frankenmuth; daughter, Michele R. Lawford, R.D., of Saginaw; daughter and son-in-law, Sherrie and Paul Jarnutowski, of Jacksonville, Fla., Michael A. Polomsky of Traverse City; and son and daughter-in-law, Phillip M. and Casey Polomsky, of Whitehouse, Texas. Dr. Polomsky was devoted to his six grandchildren, who also survive him, Katrina, Angelina, Charles, Benjamin, Pierce and Madelynn. He is also survived by his younger brother, Phillip Edward Polomsky, a Vietnam U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran; and sister-in-law, Bobbi Polomsky.He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Frances Polomsky; and his older brother, Charles G. Polomsky, who fought in the Pacific Theatre on the USS Cleveland during World War II.Raised in the Cleveland, Ohio, area, John developed a love for all things Cleveland, including Euclid Beach Park, Lake Erie and the Cleveland Barons Hockey Team. A natural athlete from an early age, he excelled at ice hockey, football, baseball and golf. John always spoke fondly of this period in his life, which included working on a rural farm during the Great Depression.A proud combat veteran of the Korean War, John fought as a U.S. Marine and earned a Purple Heart at the battle of the Chosin Reservoir. He was also awarded five battle stars, a Bronze Star Medal with combat "V", and two Navy Commendation Medals. In service to his fellow Marines who were suffering from frost bite, John invented a winter trigger for the M-1 rifle. After the war, John served in the Reserves and was awarded an athletic scholarship for ice hockey and baseball at Michigan State University. A three-year varsity letter winner in both sports, John served as cocaptain of the ice hockey team in 1956 and was a member of the 1954 Big Ten Championship baseball team. He served as President of the Varsity Club and received the Dr. Hannah Award. John cofounded the hockey Blue Line Club and later received the MSU Ice Hockey Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1995. After graduating, John went on to earn both a master's and a doctorate degree at MSU. Dr. Polomsky was a professor of engineering at MSU for 20 years, and eventually earned tenure. During this time, he was a member of St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Parish and was elected to the East Lansing City Council in the early 1970s. John coached youth hockey for many years, including all three of his sons. A licensed pilot and owner of two airplanes, flying remained a strong interest throughout his lifetime. Recruited into the private sector in the early 1980s, John worked as an engineer for Westinghouse Corp. in Pittsburgh, Pa., and later as a consultant for Textron Defense Systems in Massachusetts, where he worked on nuclear weaponry development. He concluded his professional career consulting on nuclear waste management issues for the Department of Energy at the famous Hanford Nuclear Site in the state of Washington.Visitation with a Mass of Christian Burial will be at St. Philip Neri Catholic Church in Empire later this week. Guests are welcome to join the family for a luncheon afterwards. Arrangements are pending, but friends and relatives may contact the Reynolds-Jonkhoff Funeral Home at (231) 947-6347 or check for current details and visit the family's online guestbook at www.reynolds-jonkhoff.com.In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Dr. John V. Polomsky Memorial Fund.