Chester A.

Zaremba

Chester "Chet" Zaremba, 96, a lifelong resident of Chelsea, died peacefully in his sleep in the comfort of his home on July 29, 2023, after a short period of declining health following almost a century of strength and resilience. He spent his final evening celebrating his beloved wife's 97th birthday together with his family.

In addition to Annie (McInnis), his wife of nearly 67 years, he is survived by his four loving daughters, Anne Fischer and husband Martin of Ellicott City, MD; Susan Moore and husband John of Peabody; Jane Szarythe and husband Richard "Turk" of Chelsea; and Nancy Dawson and husband Jay of Ipswich. He was a loving grandfather "Dziadzie" to Bethany, Brycen and wife Jen, and Kallie Fischer; Shauna Moore; Luke Szarythe, Amanda Szarythe Goel and husband Anurag; Emma, Abigail, and Jack Dawson; and proud great-grandfather of Rowan Fischer (and her soon-to-be sister). He is also survived by many nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his siblings Vera Barys, Lucille Owocki, Agnes Pretti, Edward Zaremba, Stanley Zaremba, and Thaddeus Zaremba.

Chet was born on August 26, 1926, in Chelsea, MA to the late Waclaw Zaremba and Marianna (Lukasiak.) He attended St. Stanislaus Elementary School and graduated from Boston Trade High School. After graduation, he was drafted into the Army and was proud to serve his country during WWII while stationed in Japan, and the Korean Conflict. He was honorably discharged in 1952 and went on to attend Wentworth Institute on the G.I. Bill. He worked as a draftsman for 35 years at Bethlehem Steel and the Charlestown/Portsmouth Navy Yards, specializing in nuclear submarines. He was the recipient of many drafting awards and was recognized for his innovative and efficient designs.

As a parishioner of St. Stanislaus Church and Our Lady of Grace Parish, Chet was very active in his faith, traveling on pilgrimages to Japan, Korea, China, Poland, and Israel. He was a lifetime member and past officer of the Polish American Veterans, Post 13, Chelsea. He enjoyed vacationing with family in Aruba and especially at his summer home on Cape Cod. Chet was an animal lover (some would say animal whisperer) and was rarely without a pet by his side. He enjoyed cooking and was known for his heritage dishes, including cabbage soup and golumpki. He was an avid Boston sports fan and enjoyed attending and discussing the latest games with his grandsons.

Chet's deepest passions were his faith and family. He loved God and modeled prayerfulness. He took pleasure in keeping up with the details, activities, and achievements of each family member and was immensely proud of all of them. He leaves behind a legacy of loyalty and love and will be greatly missed by many.

Relatives and friends are most kindly invited to attend visiting hours at the Welsh Funeral Home, 718 Broadway, Chelsea on Thursday, August 3rd from 5:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M.  His funeral will begin from the Welsh Funeral Home on Friday, August 4th at 9:00 A.M. immediately followed by a funeral mass at Our Lady of Grace Church, 59 Nichols Street, Chelsea at 10:00 A.M. Services will conclude with interment at Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett.

If desired, contributions in Chester's name may be made to NEADS World Class Service Dogs (NEADS, Inc. P.O. Box 1100, Princeton, MA 01541) or online by visiting www.neads.org/donate