CDR Edward S. Pietrzak, Jr., USN (Ret.) (28 Jan 1935 - 16 Apr 2025)

(Source: Coronado Eagle & Journal 28 Apr 2025)

Beloved father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and longtime Coronado resident CDR Edward Stanley Pietrzak, Jr., USN, Ret. has entered into rest. He was 90.
CDR Pietrzak was born Jan. 28, 1935, in rural Pine Island, NY, and graduated from nearby Warwick High School in 1952, lettering in football, basketball, baseball, and track. He was predeceased by his parents Edward Stanley Pietrzak, Sr. of Brooklyn, NY, and Stella Marcella Pietrzak nee Matuszewski of Pine Island, NY; by his wife of 56 years Marilyn Pietrzak nee Murray (no middle name) of New Brighton, PA; by his brother Robert Pietrzak of Pine Island, NY; and by his dear partner Sharon Jansa nee McDougall of Houston, TX.

Ed and his future wife Marilyn met in college at Drexel Institute of Technology (now Drexel University) in Philadelphia, PA, where both graduated in 1956 with Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration. Big Ed played offensive tackle for the undefeated 1955 Drexel Dragons football team, and as a starting pitcher for the baseball team was granted a full scholarship. Dad was a member of Theta Chi fraternity while wife-to-be Marilyn pledged to Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. She was a cheerleader, valedictorian, and graduated at the top of Drexel’s School of Business. Mom was both beautiful and brilliant! 

Immediately following graduation, Ed entered Officer Candidate School at NAS Pensacola, FL, earning his Wings of Gold as a Naval aviator. On Nov. 17, 1956, Ed and Marilyn were wed at the home of her parents in Beaver Falls, PA, thereupon embarking on their lives together as a Navy couple. Their two children, Edward and Michael, were both born at Pensacola Naval Hospital in 1957 and 1961, respectively. Tours of duty took the young Navy family to St. Simon’s Island, GA; Toms River, NJ; Pensacola again; Upper Montclair, NJ; and North Kingstown, RI before finally landing in Coronado in the spring of 1967, where Dad and Mom bought a modest “Palmer” home. Their boys, Eddie and Mike, each graduated from THE mighty Coronado High. Dad retired from the Navy in 1977, and, alas, Mom passed away in 2013 on her 79th birthday. 

CDR Pietrzak’s distinguished career as a Naval aviator began as one of the last of the blimp pilots, large and in charge of a behemoth ZPG-3W airship as an eager Lieutenant, junior grade, having joined Airship Airborne Early Warning Squadron ZP-1 at NAS Lakehurst, NJ. When the Navy’s “gas-bag” squadrons were disestablished in 1960, Dad served a four-year tour of duty as an instructor at the Navy Pre-Flight School at NAS Pensacola, after which then-LT Pietrzak transitioned into the twin-prop S-2F Tracker (“Stoof”), joining Anti-Submarine Squadron VS-28 at NAS Quonset Point, RI, busy patrolling the North Atlantic aboard the aircraft carrier USS Wasp (CVS-18), searching for Soviet subs and overseeing Gemini space-capsule recoveries circa 1965, as NASA missions to the final frontier ramped up in earnest, ever upward and onward en route to infinity and beyond! Right, Buzz? 

CDR Pietrzak’s next duty station was NAS North Island where Dad flew the distinctive-looking radome-topped E-1B Tracer (aka “Willy Fudd” or “Stoof with a Roof”), joining All-Weather Squadron VAW-111 for a combat deployment to Vietnam aboard the attack aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14), which left North Island on Dec. 28, 1967 bound for the Tonkin Gulf, sailing into harm’s way. Well, Merry Christmas, indeed!

After finally coming home to Coronado, CDR Pietrzak served a tour of duty at NAS Miramar on the staff of the Adversary Squadron, helping plan missions against which our carrier battle groups on maneuvers offshore would defend. The Vietnam War was far away but far from over, so a second combat deployment was in the offing for Dad, this time aboard the USS Hancock (CVA-19) as Officer-in-Charge of his detachment of Willy Fudds, at sea for the better part of 1972. Upon returning home yet again, CDR Pietrzak’s final billet was as Executive Officer (second-in-command) of Fleet Area Control Surveillance Facility (FACSFAC) at NAS North Island, after which CDR Pietrzak retired from the Navy. We honor Dad’s 21 years of sacrifice and service to our nation. Huzzah!

CDR Pietrzak’s military decorations include the Bronze Star, Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V” device for Valor, Air Medal (6), Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Gold Palm Leaf, and several other service and campaign medals.

Between deployments while still on active duty, CDR Pietrzak furthered his education, earning an M.B.A. from National University and a J.D. (Juris Doctor) from California Western School of Law, demonstrating a tireless diligence which served him well in his post-Navy career as a successful commercial real estate broker with Cotton Ritchie Corporation, where he worked for 25 years at their downtown San Diego office, before finally retiring in 2002.
Big Ed was a member of the Optimist Club of Coronado, the Tailhook Association, and the Naval Airship Association and once served as a deacon at Graham Memorial Presbyterian Church. He was an avid golfer and past-president of Coronado Men’s Golf Club, where he enjoyed time spent on the course and in the clubhouse with his cronies, perhaps spinning yarns about their latest aces! 

CDR Pietrzak prided himself on keeping up with current events, enjoyed following all sorts of sports, and was keen on gardening in the back forty, tending to his prized rose bushes and prolific tomato plants. He had a green thumb, to be sure!

Dad was well-informed, opinionated, patriotic, courageous, and generous to a tee. He greatly cherished time spent with family and friends, all of whom will miss his wonderful sense of humor. Moreover, Dad shall most certainly be missed by those who sought out his sage advice, including yours truly, of course. 

CDR Pietrzak is survived by his sons Edward Murray Pietrzak of Coronado and Michael Jon Pietrzak (Judy) of San Diego; brother Richard Pietrzak (Linda) of Charlottesville, VA; sister-in-law Jeanne Pietrzak nee Langdon of Savannah, GA; nieces Pam Peters (Jeff) of Westport, CT and Erika Pierce nee Pietrzak (James) of Charlottesville, VA; grand-nieces Elaina Pierce and Juliana Pierce, both of Charlottesville, VA; daughters-in-law Gilby Lynn Steele of El Cajon and Ann Marie-Therese “Mianne” Legaspi of San Diego; granddaughters Sydney Ellen Pietrzak of New York City, Katherine Glasgow Bass nee Pietrzak (Greg) of El Cajon, Alana Michele Pietrzak of San Diego, Sharon Elizabeth Stephanie Onggo (Scott) of Baltimore, MD, and Saskia Jacintha Onggo of New York City; grandson Stevyndennis Jameson Onggo of Elk Grove, CA; and great-grandson Alexander Kenneth Bass of El Cajon.
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CDR Pietrzak’s ashes were interred alongside those of his beloved wife Marilyn in their shared columbarium niche at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery, high atop Point Loma, together forever overlooking North Island and Coronado. We wish Ed and Marilyn fair winds and following seas.
“May flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest.”
VOL. 115, NO. 17 - April 23, 2025
​Note:
  CDR Pietrzak is included in Project Home Front - an effort by the Coronado Historical Association to help identify the importance of Naval Aviation to Coronado by recognizing the homes where a naval aviator once lived (or lives now): 

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