Wallace Krajewski, 75; master carpenter

At least twice a month, Wallace Krajewski would rise with the sun and stick his yellow sandwich-board-style yard-sale sign on the front lawn of his home in the city's Burholme section and wait for passersby to pause.

He didn't have a lot to sell, nor was he in dire need of money. He just wanted to socialize.

"He'd start in May and go all the way to September," said a daughter, Donna Daciuk of Trevose. "And if it was a nice day in October, he would put the sign out there, too."

Mr. Krajewski, 75, who owned WMK Construction, had his last yard sale Memorial Day. He died May 30 at Jeanes Hospital after suffering a massive stroke four days before.

Family members said Mr. Krajewski, a master carpenter and lifelong Philadelphian, had an impeccable work ethic and instilled that virtue in his children and grandchildren.

"He was the kind of man who wouldn't want to see people get something free without working for it," said a grandson, John Coxhead of Lansdale.

"Even though he's gone, I'll make it a point to my kids and grandkids to make sure he's not forgotten," Coxhead said.

Mr. Krajewski was known to take out-of-work men and teach them the tricks of the carpentry trade. Often, family members said, he would work in neighborhoods undesired and untouched by other carpenters.

Two years ago, Mr. Krajewski suffered congestive heart failure, and family members thought they had lost him. After that, they made sure to treasure their time with him. Yard sales were one form of that bonding.

"I'd try to be there at 7 and think I was early," Daciuk said, "but when I got there, he would already have everything set up and going."

She said she was unsure when she would hold her own yard sale. "But when I finally do," she said, "you can bet I'll stick up that sign."

In addition to his daughter and grandson, Mr. Krajewski is survived by his wife, Patricia; daughters Helen Aldoroty and Ceil; sons Wallace, Ron and Steven; stepsons Paul and Steven Rodriguez; stepdaughter Lisa Freeman; 22 grandchildren; and seven great-granchildren.

A private memorial service will be held this week.