Maleszewski, Stephen A.

Michelle Kukan

1924-12-15

Ramapo, NY

2017-07-22

Beal Memorial Cemetery, Fort Walton Beach, FL

Entrepreneur/ Business owner

Storekeeper Second Class

1943

1945

Stephen Maleszewski was drafted in October 1943 and joined the Navy. He served as storekeeper, ranking at Storekeeper Second Class. As a Storekeeper, Maleszewski would have been tasked with the ship’s maintenance and issuing of the stock and clothing in the storeroom of the ship he was serving aboard. He served aboard the aircraft carrier, the USS Franklin, an aircraft carrier which was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. As of 1945, he had been stationed at Wildwood, NJ, Boston, Ma, and Newport, RI. He was discharged in 1945.

Stephen Anthony “Steve” Maleszewski, was born to John Sr. and Karolina Maleszewski on 1924-12-15. He had four older siblings: Teresa, Chester, Francis, Joseph. He had four younger siblings: John Jr., Edward, Sophia, and Thomas. The Maleszewski's lived on Hines Avenue in Mahwah, NJ. They were devout Catholics. His brothers Chester, Francis, Joseph, John Jr., and Edward served in the military, receiving the name, “The Fighting Maleszewski’s. A 1942 graduate of Ramsey High School, he worked at Chatham Garment Company prior to the war. After the war, the Maleszewski’s ( except Joseph and Francis, who were killed in the war) moved to Florida. About the move, Stephen Maleszewski explained to The Record in 1983, “We wanted a new life. I guess we wanted to get away from the painful memories in Mahwah. Everything we saw reminded us of Frank and Joe.” Along with his brother John Jr., Maleszewski ran Johnny’s Wayside Tourist Trap in Defuniak Springs, Florida. After a couple years, Maleszewski, John Jr., Sophia and Thomas took over the family’s other business, Chuck and Eddie’s. In 1970, the Maleszewski family sold all businesses they owned at the time and acquired a thirty room motel/restaurant in Destin. It was named the Spyglass Inn Motel. Malezewski also ran the Spyglass Realty Company with John Jr. While he was not busy working, Maleszewski enjoyed golfing. Maleszewski was also involved in a local Catholic Church, where he served as a Catholic Evangelizer. He was also a Fourth Degree in the Knights of Columbus. Maleszewski helped his brother Edward buy a hotel, also located in Destin. The Maleszewski’s sold the Spyglass Inn Motel in 1985 and subsequently retired. In retirement, Maleszewski, John Jr., and Sophia created their own grass-roots community service program.. He died on 2017-07-22 at the age of 92.

Photo 1: Photo of Maleszewski in his uniform, place and date unkown (Matthew Maleszewski). 

Photo 2: Maleszewski's draft card, which was filled out in 1942-12-26 in Allendale, NJ (Ancestry Library). 

Photo 3: "The Fighting Maleszewski's," from left to right: Stephen, John Jr., Edward, and John Sr., posing with medals that were awarded to Francis and Joseph, 1951 (Matthew Maleszewski).  

Photo 4: Steve Maleszewski at the Spyglass Inn in the 1980s, (The Desin Log).

The name of Maleszewski’s older sister has also been listed as Theresa, Agnes, and Stella.