LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION honoring John Barwinczok posthumously for his
steadfast dedication and service to the veterans of his community on May
25, 2015

WHEREAS, Members of the United States Armed Forces, who served so faith-
fully and courageously in wars in which our Nation's freedom was at
stake, as well as in the preservation of peace during peacetime, deserve
the highest commendation of this Legislative Body; and
WHEREAS, The dedication and sacrifices of our military personnel
ensure our continued role as a Nation which embodies the ideals of
democracy, and is a defender of liberty for peoples throughout the
world; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is justly proud to honor John Barwinc-
zok posthumously for his steadfast dedication and service to the veter-
ans of his community, to be celebrated on Monday, May 25, 2015; and
WHEREAS, John Barwinczok's distinguished five year career in the
United States Navy included his membership in the Under Water Demolition
Team 2, the precursor to the Navy Seals; he also served as Post Master
for the sixth fleet in Europe, as well as one year on a destroyer; and
WHEREAS, Just prior to his release, John Barwinczok and his fellow
servicemen received greetings from President Harry S. Truman, canceling
all discharges due to the Korean War and thus extending his service for
another year; and
WHEREAS, Upon the completion of his military service, John Barwinczok
worked at General Electric (GE) as a test technician; after a short
time, he left GE to work for the Department of Defense, to complete his
high school education, and to enroll in college; and
WHEREAS, During his illustrious 35 year career with the Federal
Government, John Barwinczok served in numerous capacities from Inspector
to Quality Manager for the Syracuse and New York areas; he retired in
1987, but his hard work ethic led to the formation of his own company,
JB Quality Consulting, which he successfully ran for nearly 15 years;
and
WHEREAS, A tireless advocate for his fellow veterans, John Barwinczok
was the founder of the Korean War Veterans Association Chapter in Cayuga
County where, under his able leadership, membership grew from 12 to 82
people in just two years; and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, the Chapter raised significant funds for a Kore-
an War monument to honor Cayuga County veterans of the Korean War; the
monument was dedicated on July 30, 2006, and is part of the Veterans
Memorial Park in downtown Auburn, New York; and
WHEREAS, In 2009, John Barwinczok was recognized during a dedication
ceremony for his instrumental role in the establishment of Veterans
Memorial Park; he headed the committee and led the campaign to build the
park located on Genesee Street; and
WHEREAS, A steel arch spans the entrance to Veterans Memorial Park
which consists of granite benches, offering visitors a place to pause,
sit and reflect on the service veterans have given to the county and the
nation; the park includes memorials to past conflicts, from the Revolu-
tionary War through to the current military deployments in Afghanistan
and Iraq; and
WHEREAS, In addition, a walkway built of paving stones, many engraved
with the names of loved ones, leads from the entrance down a gentle
slope to a raised platform area, designed as the focal point for ceremo-
nies honoring veterans in the years to come; and
WHEREAS, Veterans Memorial Park, where John Barwinczok led with such
talent, zeal and joy is a fitting tribute to a life well-lived and a

life worth remembering, a lasting memorial to local veterans and to an
individual who gave honor and dignity to all those who have served our
great State and Nation; and
WHEREAS, Individuals such as John Barwinczok, devoted to improving the
quality of life for others, enabling them to build lives of dignity and
self-worth, are deserving of the highest praise and recognition; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is very pleased to have this opportu-
nity to express its gratitude to the men and women of the United States
Armed Forces for their tremendous sacrifices made for our Nation and for
the benefit of all Americans; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
honor John Barwinczok posthumously for his steadfast dedication and
service to the veterans of his community on May 25, 2015; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the family of John Barwinczok.