A Tribute to a Good Man

Anthony J. Dombrowski was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 21, 1928, the son of Frank and Anne Dombrowski. He experienced the Great Depression of the 30's and having felt what it means to be poor, he used his gifts to better the family's situation. He went junking! Often with his little sister, Fran and little brother, Frankie, he scoured the neighborhood for paper, cardboard, rags, pieces of iron and brass found near a factory. Then with his wagon coaster filled he dragged them to the junk-man and brought home a few extra dollars. At Saint Francis church in Milwaukee, Tony became an altar boy to serve the mass. His practice of daily prayer to God and Saint Anthony never left him.

Then at 17, lying about his age, his adventuresome spirit led him to enlist in the Navy, where he served his country for two years. The discipline, education, and opportunities of the military became his way of life. After his service he went onto college completed his education at the University of Idaho. He received an honorable Army commission through the ROTC program. From then on he traveled from base to another in the US and in Europe. In the meantime, he married Barbara Ann Baker. They had three children mostly raised in Leesburg, VA on a small farm. He also had one deployment to Korea at the border and two tours to Vietnam. During that war, he led his company of 300 men protecting the Bien Hoa airport during the Tet offensive. Veterans are special people who understand life in a compassionate way. Tony was one of them. He learned service and leadership. His peacetime work took him to the Pentagon with administrative operations.

Tony loved sports. In his youth he played basketball, track, and football. His number was 89 which he always considered was lucky. Later he found the joy of his life in golfing. He could still achieve par at the age of 86. Another joy in life was rummaging, searching for antiques of all kinds but especially old clocks. He was known to fill his house and his storage with all kinds of clocks and loads of golf equipment. He loved to fix old clocks and make them tick again.

After retiring from the military, Tony worked awhile with Xerox and then spent another eight years with the Senior Golf Association in Florida as the executive secretary. He was responsible for setting up golf tournaments at some of the best courses in the States. With the help of Helen he met the challenge of trying to please 1700 seniors, a task for which he was much appreciated but should have received a Purple Heart.

Another delight of his was setting up the unexpected visit to the family in Milwaukee. The extended family would be on a picnic or a reunion and suddenly there appeared a stranger dressed as a pink rabbit, teasing everybody until someone realized: it's Tony, to the delight of all. One time at a family reunion he came as a bedraggled street person begging for something to eat, one person after the other; everybody asked him to leave and stop bothering us. After 20 minutes of deception, finally one of the party said: that's Tony in disguise! He even fooled his own Mother.

On family gatherings, he would always say: it's time to play "hot dice!" Quarters would come out with much winning and losing, teasing and laughter. He loved and enjoyed the family gatherings.

Tony was very generous in supporting the catholic Capuchin ministries, the Dwelling Place retreat center for the poor, Saint Benedict meal for the homeless, and many other good causes. He remembered what it means to be poor.

Golf was not just a pastime. It was his joy. With friends there was always a friendly competition on the course. It was hard to let go when cancer weakened his body. The he became an avid observer of golf tournaments on the national level.

Thank you Tony for your life and service. We will miss you but we will always remember you in our hearts as Dad, brother, soldier, sportsman, a benefactor, a fun loving trickster, a good man for others.

A Tribute to a Father

On May 26, 2020, Anthony John Dombrowski passed away at the age of 92 in his home in Roseburg, Oregon. Anthony Dombrowski was born March 21st, 1928 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Frank Roy and Ann Marie Dombrowski. His entry into this world was one year before the stock market crash and Great Depression which followed that would set the course to whom he would later become. His siblings were sisters Marie, Frances, Mildred, and brothers Francis and Michael. He attended St. Francis Elementary and Lincoln High School in Milwaukee. Growing up in the depression as kids was their normal. Families had to work together to make ends meet. The kids including young Tony scavenged for scrap metal and coal to sell. Brass, copper, and aluminum were needed for the WWII effort. Tony spent hours at Lake Michigan catching crawfish to sell to local fisherman for bait. He also set bowling pins by hand at a nearby bowling alley to earn 5 cents per frame. His most memorable job as a young kid was selling newspapers at street corners and shouting out loud to patrons "Milwaukee Journal ". During High school he was very active in sports and worked his summers on the Milwaukee railroad. He also worked at a defense factory making hair brushes for 50 cents per hour.

After High school In 1946, he was going to be drafted into the Army. So in June, he chose to enlist in the Navy and became a yeoman serving his time stateside at Naval Air station Lakehurst, New Jersey until he was honorably discharged in 1948. While serving at Lakehurst he played basketball. His team won the 49th Naval District basketball championship.

He then went on to college on the GI bill and completed two years at the University of Wisconsin (Milwaukee extension). He played football, basketball, and track. He worked his summers driving a taxi for yellow cab and worked in the Blatz and Schlitz beer breweries.

In 1947, he left Milwaukee when a close friend encouraged him to head west. He drove his 37 Chrysler with only 90 dollars in his pocket across the country to the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho. He joined the Delta Sigma Phi fraternity and played in team sports including football. He earned his BS degree in education. Graduating as a distinguished military student under the ROTC college program, he accepted a regular active army commission as a 2nd lieutenant in June of 1953. He served his first two years in infantry units including one year overseas in Korea. After that, he changed his path taking assignment with the Adjutant General Corps

He married Barbara Ann Baker of Milwaukee Wisconsin in June of 1954 and that union produced three wonderful children, Anthony Carter, Katherine Ann, and John D. Dombrowski

His military career also included duty assignments to Germany, and two tours to Vietnam. He always considered the highlight of his military career was to activate and intensively train, and then deploy the 520th Personnel Services Company based at Fort Lee, Virginia to Vietnam in April of 1967. He held the rank of Major and was commanding officer for 18 months stationed at the Bien Hoa airbase.  He then Commanded the US Army Saigon Personnel Service Center which consisted of the 520th PSC and the 537th PSC at Bien Hoa Airbase until May 1968. He credits setting up the only mini golf putt putt course in Vietnam for front line troops on R&R. He returned to the US as a Lt. Colonel and was assigned to Adjutant General at US Army Combat Development Command, Fort Belvoir, Virginia.

He finished his military career at the Pentagon in Washington DC where he was in charge of the Pentagon Postal System and was the Army representative for State funerals, and assisted in the funerals for president's Truman and Johnson. He retired in May 1974 as a Lt Colonel with 23 years of service. In 1973 while still on active duty he swore in his oldest son into the US Coast Guard at the USCG Arlington recruiting station. It was a memorable moment for both.

His civilian career started in May of 1974 with the Northern Board of Realtors. Then He found his dream job and became the Executive Secretary of the Southern Seniors Golf Association which brought him to southern Florida. He was also starting a new life married to Helen Patricia Kruse and proceeded toward his true life goal of becoming a serious golfer. In addition to the Southern Seniors, He was a member of USGA Florida State Golf Association and the Florida State Seniors. He retired in 1994.

To his dismay and in his own words after 50 years or more, collecting books, magazines, golf clubs, how to videos, and an endless assortment of gimmicks he said he never quite reached that goal of being comfortable and confident with his golf game. However, along the way he enjoyed the company of hundreds of good friends nationwide and particularly those at Errol Estates Country club in Apopka, Florida. In his words, he truly enjoyed the friendship and comradery playing this crazy game called GOLF!

In his later years he was diagnosed with cancer. His battle with this relentless enemy lasted 12 years. When his days on the golf course ended he chose once again to travel across the country from coast to coast to live with his oldest son and family in southwest Oregon in 2016. Never a day passed that he wasn't thinking about some aspect of golf and how he could will himself to someday pick up a golf club once again. Perhaps in heaven there is such a chance.

Sadly, to our sorrow he gave up his courageous battle right up to the very end leaving his legacy and earthly bounds behind. Tony leaves behind his three children, two brothers, 6 nieces, and an aunt, a daughter in law, three grandchildren, and three great grandchildren.

Żegnaj Ojcze, dopóki się nie znow spotkamy

Goodbye Father, until we meet again!