Theodozia K. Pastuszek, 87; built family realty firm in Swarthmore
"She lived her life built upon the core values of love, family, and tradition," a longtime business associate of Mrs. Pastuszek said.
Theodozia K. Pastuszek, 87, of Swarthmore, who with her husband, William J. Pastuszek, ran a real estate company in Delaware County for 57 years, died Monday, July 17, of complications from Parkinson's disease at Springfield Hospital.
Mrs. Pastuszek was known to friends as "Dozia." She and her husband formed a close, effective partnership in business as well as in their personal lives.
In 1948, a year after he established William J. Pastuszek Real Estate LLC in Chester, he and Mrs. Pastuszek married. For the next 57 years, they took what began as a "mom and pop" venture and expanded it into a thriving business, said son Alexander R. Pastuszek.
The office initially was on South Chester Road, but in 1963, the couple purchased a building at 5 Park Ave., Swarthmore, and moved the company there.
The couple bought and held, or built, more than 1,000 commercial and industrial structures, self-storage garages, and apartments and residential units in Maryland, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, said William Pastuszek's obituary.
Among their achievements were the redevelopment of a major portion of the Swarthmore business district and the establishment of Theodozia Gardens, a beautification project on Park Avenue in Swarthmore named after Mrs. Pastuszek.
After her husband died in 2004, she continued operating the business with the help of her son and daughter Lydia M. Pastuszek.
"Seventy years in business — so proud of our parents and the hard work they did!" the younger Pastuszeks posted online earlier this year.
"They both never forgot where they came from, and the people who were less fortunate than they were. Many see the company truck and stop me. They say: 'I want to let you know something about your parents. They helped me start out in business,' or, 'They helped me get a loan,' " her son said.
Born in Buczacz, in what is now Ukraine, in 1929, Mrs. Pastuszek had a difficult childhood. She survived a 1930 famine and then invasion and occupation during World War II. She lived in a displaced-persons camp in Germany before immigrating to Canada, and from there to Chester with her parents and brother, Roman.
The family's transition was eased when Mrs. Pastuszek's uncle, the priest at the Ukrainian Orthodox church in Chester, agreed to sponsor the newcomers. She graduated from Chester High School and was thrilled to become an American citizen.
Mrs. Pastuszek was very family-oriented. She enjoyed preparing special foods for the holidays and carrying out Ukrainian traditions, such as eating meatless dishes and receiving carolers on Christmas Eve.
"She had a very elegant quality and always carried herself very well," said David A. Wilson, owner of Wilson Insurance in Birdsboro, who did business with Mrs. Pastuszek for the last 30 years. "She did go through some hardships in Europe, so when she came here, she was always looking to help people. She lived her life built upon the core values of love, family, and tradition."
She was delighted when all three of her children became fluent in Ukrainian. When her grandchildren arrived, she enjoyed watching them play sports or perform in school plays and recitals. She also loved vacationing in Long Beach Island, excursions to Atlantic City, and traveling to the Caribbean.
She was a member of the choir at SS. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Wilmington and even in her final days sang Ukrainian folk songs.
She was president of the Swarthmore Women's Club in the 1970s and 1980s. Leftover funds from the now-defunct organization still endow a college scholarship fund for Strath Haven High School students.
Besides her son and daughter, she is survived by another son, William J. Jr.; six grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.
Services were Tuesday, July 25, with burial at Lawn Croft Cemetery in Linwood.
Memorial donations may be made to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Box 5014, Hagerstown, Md. 21741, or via https://www.michaeljfox.org/tribute/tribute-page.php?id=20365