Henry J. Sawicki
Marist Brothers United States Province
Brother Henry J. Sawicki, FMS
May 31, 1946 – October 8, 2023
Brother Henry Sawicki, FMS died unexpectedly at the Marist Brothers Residence in Manhasset, NY. He was 77 years old and in his 59th year of Marist religious life. Henry was born on May 31, 1946 in Queens, NY. He was the son of the late Henry and Catherine Brunner Sawicki. He attended Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Elementary School in Ridgewood, NY and Archbishop Molloy High School in Briarwood, NY. He graduated from high school in 1963 and entered the Marist Brothers Novitiate in Esopus, NY. He received the habit in 1964 and made his first profession of vows in 1965. He then went to the Marist Scholasticate at Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Biology in 1968. He pronounced his final vows in 1974.
His first assignment was at St. Joseph High School in Trumbull, CT where he was a teacher of Biology and eventually Chair of the Science Department (1968 – 1973). While at Trumbull, he began graduate studies at Fairfield University and completed an MA in Biology in 1975. From 1973 to 1985, Henry resided on the Marist Brothers’ property in Esopus during which time he taught Biology and served as Department Chair at John A. Coleman High School in Kingston, NY. He also served as Assistant Principal at Coleman for three of those years. From 1977 to 1984 he was Administrator of the property at Esopus. He taught Biology at Marist High School in Bayonne, NJ from 1986 to 1994.
From January to June of 1995, he participated in the Second Novitiate renewal program held at the Marist Spirituality Center in Manziana, Italy. Upon his return, he taught for one year at Annunziata Tutorial Center in Houma, LA and then moved on to Our Lady of Lourdes High School in Poughkeepsie, NY where he was Science Department Chair and teacher of Biology (1996-2014).
Henry very much enjoyed the summers he spent working at Camp Marist in Effingham, NH from 1968 until 2014. His many duties there included Sailing Instructor and Assistant Waterfront Director. He retired to our Marist Community in Manhasset in 2017.
In addition to his parents, Brother Henry was predeceased by his sister, Therese Winter, his nephew John and his niece Dorreen. He is survived by his nephews Gerard, Brian, Thomas and his Marist Brothers.
Oh, what consolation we have, when about to appear before God, to remember that we have lived in the favor of Mary, and in her own Society. – St. Marcellin Champagnat