Francis K Czyzewski

Jun 30, 1904 - Nov 6, 1976

Media personality F. K. Czyzewski, dies

Francis K. Czyzewski, 72, former Tribune reporter and weather columnist and founder of the Polish Hour, died at 5 p.m. Saturday in his home at 827 N. Elmer.

A newspaperman for 50 years, Czyzewski began his career in May, 1921 when he started to work for the Goniec Polski, then a semi-weekly Polish paper. Shortly after he joined The Tribune news staff in 1929, he spent several months in Poland as a traveling correspondent. During his 42 years with The Tribune, Czyzewski became well-known locally in several areas.
As a weather columnist, he was widely known for his long-range weather forecasts based on sun spot observations.
He was a life member of the Solar Division of the American Star Observers.

In radio, one of his sidelines, he was the founder and director of the Polish Hour on WSBT and was heard on the popular program for many years after it started in 1929.

For his civic contributions to the Polish community of South Bend, he was awarded the Silver Cross of Merit, the highest civilian decoration of the Republic of Poland, in 1936, and a plaque from the Allied Polish-American Organizntions of South Bend in 1962 at a testimonial dinner in his honor.

He was a member of many organizations and helped organize several, including the St. Joseph Valley Astronomers, the Literary Circle and Alumni of St. Stanislaus Catholic Church and the St. Stanislaus Ushers.

After World War II, he won a citation from the U.S. government for the highest war bond sale as the Polish division chairman of the War Bond Committee in South Bend.

Czyzewski was born June 30, 1904, in South Bend, where he lived most of his life. He attended Central High School and the Holy Cross Seminary at the University of Notre Dame, but left the seminary when his health failed.

On June 25, 1930, he married Irene Franczak, who survives with four sons, Bernard and Eugene, both of South Bend, Frank of Madison, Wis., and Paul V. of Tampa, Fla.; 10 grandchildren, and four brothers, William and Clement Czyzewski, both of South Bend, Joseph Alvin of Carlsbad, Calif., and Cass Alvin of Downey; Calif.

Services will be at 10 a.m. on Tuesday in St. Stanislaus Catholic Church, with Rev. Casimir Grabarcz, C.S.C., officiating.
Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery.

Friends may call from 7 to 9 p.m. on Sunday and from 2 to 9 p.m. on Monday at the Kaniewski & Sons Funeral Home.

The South Bend Tribune South Bend, Indiana 07 Nov 1976, Sun • Page 2

Source: FindAGrave.com

04/09/2025 EJS

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/229034969/francis-k-czyzewski