Doctor Edward J. Szewczyk, Sr., 80, of Belleville, Illinois, passed away on August 20, 2009, surrounded by his family and loving wife of 58 years, Betty. Doctor Ed was born on October 5, 1928, in East St. Louis, Illinois. He was the youngest son of Stanley and Genevieve Szewczyk, both of whom were born in Poland and immigrated to the United States. He attended St. Adalbert’s Grade School at age 4 and graduated from Central Catholic High School in East St. Louis. As a young man, he worked in his father’s grocery store, driving the delivery truck at age 11.
Doctor Ed graduated from St. Louis University Medical School in 1951 and did his Ophthalmology residency at Washington University. He and his childhood sweetheart, Elizabeth (Betty) Szewczyk, nee Peskar, were married on June 9, 1951, in Sacred Heart Church, East St. Louis, Illinois. He was a veteran, having enlisted in the Navy, attached to the Marine Corps, and served as a doctor in Korea during the war. He was a Lieutenant Commander at the time of his honorable discharge.
Following his military discharge, Doctor Ed joined his brother, Thaddeus, in the practice of ophthalmology, later formed his own office and practiced medicine in partnership with his son, Paul, until his death. He practiced medicine for 55 years, was board certified in Ophthalmology and was a member of many professional organizations, including the American Academy of Ophthalmology, the American Medical Association, the St. Louis Ophthalmological Society, the Illinois State Medical Society and the St. Clair County Medical Society. Ed was on the clinical faculty of St. Louis University Medical School for many years and served as an examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology. He was on the staffs of Memorial Hospital and St. Elizabeth’s Hospital, both in Belleville, for many years. Doctor Ed served on the Board of Directors of the Bank of Belleville and West Pointe Bank. He was a member of Blessed Sacrament Church, the Third Order of St. Francis of the Knights of Columbus and the St. Clair Country Club.
Doctor Ed was preceded in death by:
He is survived by:
Memorials: Memorial contributions may be made to the Blessed Sacrament School Endowment Fund or the Althoff Catholic High School Vision 2009 Fund at or mailed to the Funeral Home.
Visitation: Friend may call from 2 to 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 23, 2009 at Kurrus Funeral Home.
Funeral: Funeral procession will leave at 9:40am on Monday, August 24, 2009 for a 10:00am Mass of Christian burial at Blessed Sacrament Church, 8707 West Main Street, Belleville, Illinois with Msgr. James Margason and Fr. Jack McEvilly officiating. Interment will follow at Greenmount Catholic Cemetery in Belleville, Illinois.
