William P. Uszenski of the Village of Florida entered into rest on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at Valley View Nursing & Rehabilitation Center. He was 80.
The son of Mary Rose Sicina and Walter Peter Uszenski, he was born on Nov. 20, 1942, in Goshen.
At the age of 9, his mother died and he went for a few years to live with is sister, Pauline, and her husband, Al Headley in Middletown. He returned to Florida, N.Y. to take care of his father and finished high school at Seward.
His first job was working in the Black Dirt. He then worked part-time at Big V (now the site of the Dollar Store). He worked nights at the Ford plant in Mahwah for a short while painting cars.
Night work did not suit him, so he started a 49-year career at ShopRite. For the most part, his job was in the Dairy Department. Eventually he became the Dairy Department Manager.
He then transferred to Monroe ShopRite when it first opened then to the new ShopRite in Warwick until he retired in 2009 where he was just shy of working 50 years with them.
When called, he would work for the Board of Elections preparing the machines for voting and delivering machines to and from election sites.
On Dec. 5, 1966, he joined the Florida Fire Department and was active until Jan. 6, 2020. During his time with the department, he became a line officer (Past Captain) and then the Financial Secretary of the department. He was then given the responsibility by the Fire Commissioners to maintain the newly adopted retirement incentive program for the fire district. Every year, prior to Mother’s Day, he would walk the cemeteries placing firemen flags on the graves of past fire department members. He served on the by-law committee, investigating committee, benevolent committee and worked to establish the monument next to the firehouse to honor all members, past, present and future. Bill was the first member to receive both Fireman of the Year and Outstanding Fireman of the Year.
He was named Citizen of the Year in 2009 by the Florida Family Fun Fest Committee for his dedication to the community. He was also named Orange County Citizen of the Year.
Bill, also known to some as “Ushie,” for years took pride in maintaining the lawn strip in front of the ShopRite Headquarters in the Village of Florida. Aside from the lawn, he would plant hundreds of flowers to beautify the entrance of the village. He formed his own business, naming it, “The Green Thumb.”
He delivered Meals on Wheels for many years.
He was a member of St. Joseph Holy Name Society and the Seward Senior Citizens of Florida. He had a very strong religious faith and became a Eucharistic Minister bringing prayer and communion to those who could not attend mass.
He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Jeanne C. Mulligan Uszenski at home; son Daniel J. Uszenski at home; brother Joseph Uszenski of Marlboro; along with several nieces and nephews.
He was predeceased by his sister, Pauline Headley and brothers Edward, John, Walter and Daniel.
Visitation was held April 23 at T.S. Purta Funeral Home, 22 Glenmere Ave., Florida, NY 10921. Firematic services also were held.
A funeral mass was held April 24 at St. Joseph Church, 20 Glenmere Ave., Florida. Burial was held in St. Joseph Cemetery, Florida.
The family thanks all who gave us prayers and support, especially to Maryann and Ralph Ascione; Pat and Bob “Hessie” Heter; Marie and Michael Pillmeier and to the staff at Valley View for doing all they did for Bill during his difficult illness.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the T.S. Purta Funeral Home. To send a condolence online, please go to www.purtafuneralhome.com.