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October 25, 2009
Stanley Louis Garbacik, 93, died Sunday evening at home surrounded by his children after a courageous battle with cancer.
Stanley was born in West Hazleton in 1916 to the late Andrew and Sarah (Stempeck) Garbacik. He was the first of nine children.
“Stan the Shoe Man,” as he was known by many area residents, began his career in the shoe business at the age of 18 at Allen’s Shoe Store. He quickly became a skilled salesman and worked in Allen’s stores in many towns in Northeastern Pennsylvania including Freeland, Lehighton, Berwick, Pittston, Shenandoah, Bloomsburg and Wilkes-Barre. He became a manager before the age of 20. In 1957, he became the manager of the new J. S. Raub Shoe Store in the Hazleton Shopping Center. He spent the next 25 years there, retiring from the shoe business in 1983.
Although he only went to school until the 8th grade, he made sure that his children all graduated from college.
He had an eye for design and drawing inherited from his father, who built both houses and hand-crafted violins.
In his retirement, he had time to develop his artistic talent, restoring statues for St. Stanislaus Church and building replicas of his children’s homes as doll houses, even making miniature furniture.
He found great joy in spending time with his grandchildren, who also kept him young with their many activities. He stayed active at his parish, St. Stanislaus, serving in many capacities.
Whether selling shoes, working on parish statues, ushering at church, tending his garden, polishing his much-loved cars, decorating the house for Christmas, operating the computer, telling stories or just peeling an apple, he did everything with great care and artistry.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Clara; his parents; brother Walter and sisters Mary, Sophia and Caroline. He is survived by his four children, their spouses and seven grandchildren: Mary Ann and Michael Chezik and their children, Peter (and wife Bonny), Mary Clare and Cathy, Sicklerville, N.J.; Stanley and Rose Ann Garbacik of Mountain Top; Dolores and Donald Bouch and sons, Donnie and Andrew, of Bangor; and Joseph and Karen Garbacik and their children, Joseph and Ashley, of Harrisburg.
He is also survived by his brothers Rev. Louis S. Garbacik, pastor emeritus of St. Stanislaus Church; and Edward; and his sisters Mrs. Helen (and Steve) Moisey and Josephine Jurewicz; and numerous nieces and nephews.
The funeral will be held 9 a.m. Saturday from the Frank J. Bonin Funeral Home Inc., 542-544 N. Wyoming St., Hazleton.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 9:30 a.m. in St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church. Interment will be held in the parish cemetery.
Friends and relatives may call 7-9 p.m. Friday evening.