Dr. Michael Anthony Stefanski
Dr. Anthony Michael Stefanski, 98, of Crowley passed away peacefully on Sunday, Nov. 2, 2014, at home surrounded by his family.
Born in Camden, New Jersey, on June 20, 1916, to Polish immigrant parents, Dr. Stefanski was proud of his Polish heritage, his Catholic faith and his parents’ role as leaders in the New Jersey Polish community.
Dr. Stefanski was the nation’s first first-generation Polish-American veterinarian and for many years has been the oldest living veterinarian in the state of Louisiana. Dr. Stefanski was kind, honest and led by example. He and his beloved wife were most proud of their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Their family is grateful to have had such strong and respected role models.
Dr. Stefanski graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, School of Veterinary Medicine. Shortly following, he became employed with the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and was transferred to Louisiana in 1937 to work in disease eradication in livestock.
In over 40 years of practice, Dr. Stefanski worked every parish in Louisiana and every county in Mississippi. He had the unique ability to forge relationships and communicate with people of diverse cultures and traditions and became lifelong friends with nearly everyone he encountered.
While working in Acadia Parish he met his future wife, Christine Frey, and settled in Crowley which became his home in 1952.
Dr. Stefanski was preceded in death by his father, Albert Stefanski, who immigrated to the United States from Lwow, Poland, and his mother, Balbina Gredysa Stefanski, also a Polish immigrant; three sisters and his wife, Christine Mary Frey Stefanski.
He is survived by four sons, Stephen Stefanski and wife Mary Anne of Crowley, Henry Stefanski and wife Penny of Crowley, Michael Stefanski and wife Peggy of Crowley and Albert Stefanski and wife Jen of Oregon; 10 grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren. Dr. Stefanski is also survived by two sisters, Mary Stefanski Pavlich of Standford, Connecticut, and Catherine Stefanski Maddox of Michigan.
Dr. Stefanski was well respected and loved by everyone he met; he will be dearly missed by all who were privileged to have known him.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 2 p.m. at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church.
Visiting hours will be held on Tuesday from 4:30 to 9 p.m.; the Rosary will be recited Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. Visiting hours will continue on Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m.
Burial will be in Woodlawn Cemetery.
Words of comfort may be sent to the family at www.geesey-ferguson.com.
Arrangements have been entrusted to Geesey-Ferguson Funeral Home, 301 N. Avenue F, Crowley, LA 70526, 337-783-3313.