Posted by Stan White on November 2, 2011:

Here are another few observations that are worthy to include: 1. Stan Dziuban was a tireless worker at the Mission Basilica Food Bank. He drove to pick up food from the suppliers, and on the way back, that pedal-to-the-metal Nascar-driver approach he always displayed as he U-turned in front of the Food Bank would invariably scatter the people: "It's Stan! Duck!" After he helped unload what he had brought, he would then help unload the delivery trucks. Only during the last few months was his slowing noticeable. Still, he outworked people half his age. 2. For a while he was known for his bicycle excursions, but I never did keep up with those. However, his walks were a different matter. I heard varying reports of the frequency of his lo-o-ong walks, from his condo, down to Dana Island where he'd hang out and socialize for a while, and then walk back home. My off-the-top-of-my-head guess puts it at around 10 miles each way. I know that at one point this year he told me he wanted to maintain a schedule of walking it at least once a week. Unfortunately I didn't follow his state of well being as closely as I should have, so I cannot say when he had to cut it back (off). 3. I have run the Lector program at the Mission for at least a quarter century. I really can't remember when your dad started as a reader, but like the sky and the ocean, it seems that he was always there. His field-command voice was always loud and clear. His enunciation was impeccable. He carried the demeanor of authority as he mounted the pulpit, and whatever fidgeting people were up to, stopped. He had their rapt and undivided attention, and you could hear a pin drop. I feel that some people are born with that quality. Up until the end, he never missed an assignment, was never late, was never insufficiently prepared. Sometimes around town he would dress very casually, but when he was on duty it was coat-and-tie-and-spit-and-polish Stan on duty. Oddly, in midsummer he announced to me that he was going to dispense with the tie, protocol be damned. If I didn't like it I could just take him off the schedule. Huh? Something was going on, but I had no idea what. No, I didn't want him to stop for three reasons: he was excellent in what he did, he was a magnificent example in all ways for others to follow and I felt that his continuing the disciplined routine of preparing, coming, exercising his ministry, and interacting with others was good for him. 4. His U.S. flag was always properly illuminated and displayed 24/7 in front of Ft. Dziuban (my name for his condo.) He had an encyclopedic memory for military and U.S. history and loved to play "gotcha" about such things as "do you remember the difference between a garrison flag and a company flag?" 5. Over the years he had proudly shown me photos, documents and bits of memorabilia, his "Vol. 2 of Military History of World War II" that he'd authored, and "They Called it Purple Heart Valley" by Margaret Bourke-White which documented his heroism under fire. He was understandably proud of his West Point photo with President Roosevelt, Ike's signatures on his Columbia University diplomas, and his having known the one person he thought of most highly, George C. Marshall (Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, first 5-star general, Secretary of Defense, Secretary of State, architect of the Marshall Plan, Nobel laureate ... ). But I don't recall if Stan ever located the photo of the two of them together. I really have warm feelings about your dad, one helluva great guy. I'll be the reader at your dad's service. He was a good friend and will be greatly missed. Your dad and I had standing wagers (bottle of Asti) on the Commander's Cup. Your dad, plus an old navy lawyer (moved now back to the frozen east coast) and I (USAF) had great fun annually making outrageous claims regarding the outcomes of the games. But the outcomes were (sadly) predictable. And your dad paid off year after year and (of course) so did I. And the Navy snickered with every sip. (We could have throttled him.) I have a video of your dad at my birthday party on Sept. 25th leading the singing of Happy Birthday in Polish when he discovered the number of Polish speakers at the party! He sure loved a good time. And everybody loved and admired him. With respect and a crisp salute, Stan White

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