John M. Lewandowski

John M. Lewandowski Passed away peacefully on September 12, 2020 at the Clement J. Zablocki Veterans Hospital at the age of 83. Beloved husband of Gerry for 64 years. Loving father of Curt, Michael, the late Sandy, and Brian (Amanda). Loving and proud grandfather of Eric, Heather (Jason), Logan, and Lauren. Great-grandfather of Vera, Drake, and Mackenna. Further survived by other loved relatives and friends. Committal Service will be held at Southern Wisconsin Veterans Memorial Cemetery (21731 Spring St., Union Grove, WI 53182) on Wednesday, November 11 at 2PM. Honors will follow. Please arrive 15-20 minutes early. Masks are highly encouraged. Below you will see John’s “Resume”. This is a timeline of his life that he wrote. Please enjoy! Born 12-15-1936 Life resident of Milwaukee Wisconsin Graduated St. Mathews 8th grade 1950 Graduated Boys Trade & Technical High School 1954 Military Service United States Air Force 1954-1962 Wisconsin Air National Guard Air Police,128th AC&W SQ. Milwaukee 1954-1957 Inactive USAF Reserve, 1957-1961 Active Duty Etain Air Force Base Etain France 1961-1962 121st Air Police SQ. USAF Honorable Discharged 1962 Married 62 yrs. 4 Children 4 Grand Children 3 Great Grandchildren Worked as a Silk Screener for 2 years Worked in the Graphic Arts Industry for 48 years for the same company. Gugler Lithographic Co. In 1961? Was purchased by the Milwaukee Journal, Sentinel. It was called Perry Printing & then North Star Print Group. I Retired on 1/1/1997. The Company was closed in 1999? Journeyman Lithographic Pressman 30 + years. GCIU Union member 50 + years. Union shop steward 20 + years Union executive board officer 16 years Union negotiator 15 years Member American Legion Milwaukee Post 18 and Past Post Vice Commander and Past Post Commander. Children and Youth Chairman, Americanism Chairman, Past Chaplain American Legion 4th District. US ARMY Recruiting Battalion Advisory Board SE Wisconsin. Member and Trustee Milwaukee Moose Lodge 49 Co-founder and Past President and Vice President & Trustee, Whistling Wings Land Owners Association, New Lisbon Wisconsin. Hobbies and Interest, Helping Veterans and their Families, Fishing, Politics, Reading, Hunting, Stamp Collecting. Member Co-Founder (VOVC) Voice of the Veterans Community www.vovc.org We started this organization to negotiate with the City of Milwaukee because the city wanted Land & Buildings at the Zablocki VA Medical Center and were negotiating at Milwaukee VA and Washington DC. VA without the input from the Veteran’s Community or the Citizens of Milwaukee. After many negotiating sessions and meetings the city dropped there request. I was involved in most meetings and negotiations as a representative for the American Legion and all veterans. I also was involved in educating the community about what was happening there. This process took almost 2 years and with the support of Veterans, Citizens, and Our Politicians the city finally backed out. We also tried to expand Wood National Cemetery, tried to establish a Care center for Women Veterans, and establish a Fisher House which at this time, 8/28/18 is built and in Operation, and open a War Trauma Treatment Ctr. at Zablocki. Member Co-Founder (VMFP) Veterans & Military Families for Progress www.vmfp.org We formed this Organization right here in Milwaukee in the winter of 2005 at a meeting of veterans and military family members from across the country who was concerned about public policy that has led to the erosion of veterans benefits. We are dedicated to ensuring that the rights and needs of veterans, active–duty service members, and their families are understood by the American public, endorsed by our elected officials, and protected by legislation, regulation and public policy initiatives. We are now a National organization based in Washington DC. And serve the entire military community to promote programs and policies affecting the rights, benefits, services and quality of life for active duty personnel, veterans and their families. We are nonpartisan: 501(c) 4 tax exempt, nonprofit, 21st Century organization. Our focus is on electing and supporting national candidates of any party who actively support our mission. We also serve local communities within the VFMP framework on issues that bene-fit veterans and military families in their communities. 2008 Member Co-Founder DRYHOOTCH of AMERICA www.dryhootch.org We saw a desperate need to help the veteran, who survived the war, survive the peace. Our Nation was losing more soldiers to suicide than to al-Qaida. We started spreading the word in veterans groups and in the community. We wanted to open a coffee house that would be a healing place we would call DRYHOOTCH, where the troubles, fears and worries of service and sacrifice can be addressed. This would be a brand new approach. Show you how to deal with the memories that won’t go away. Peer to Peer Group Mtgs. on addiction, PTSD, and family involvement all in a warm atmosphere that promotes healing and reflection. Information by vets, for vets, on what government programs are available to help you, your family or friend. We had a plan but no money. We started to sell coffee at various functions and printed brochures and became a 501(c) 3 not for profit. We formed a DRYHOOTCH Board of Di-rectors. We applied for a grant and got it from the Milwaukee County Mental Health. We became partners with, NAMI, Milwaukee County Mental Health Task Force, Mental Health America, VA, to name a few. The Meetings with various groups were non-stop. We purchased a used popcorn, ice cream truck from a American Legion Post, fixed it up and started going to more places like colleges, festivals, LZ Lambeau etc to spread the word of our intent and to make friends and funds. After months of planning we finally managed to get permission to use a rundown old Building #1 at the Zablocki VA. We spent 6 months working and cleaning to open the 1st DRYHOOTCH but it was not to be. The VA Mr. Beller changed his mind and we were told we had to stop and could not use it or any other building on the VA grounds. We were devastated by that decision. That did not stop us. We held some (PTSD) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder mtgs. at the War Memorial and held a Mental Health Summit. I sent a Letter to the Gov. and told him about the PTSD problems for our Veterans and about us opening up a DRYHOOTCH of AMERICA Building. It was very gratifying for me what he did next. The Governor Proclaimed October 22 2009 Wisconsin PTSD Awareness Day. We started looking around for a building and after a lengthy search we found a great building at a great location at 1030 East Brady St. in Milwaukee. It needed remodeling for our needs so we had to apply for more grants and sell more coffee, T-shirts, Caps, etc. Finally after years of planning, praying, and working it all started to come together. We received a large grant from Sears with the help from Rebuilding Together America and Wisconsin, the American Legion Wisconsin and National the building got remodeled. On the 1st floor is the Coffee Shop or the Hootch, on the 2nd floor we have 3 meeting rooms for PTSD, AA, NA. 2 New Rest rooms were built. We had to have a lot of electric and plumbing done by union volunteers. A new basement drain tile and concrete work had to be done. Painting inside and outside. Security cameras installed. Etc. We finally opened the 1st DRYHOOTCH of AMERICA. The Grand Opening was Au-gust 28th 2010. Already a Dryhootch of Waukesha, Menominee, Madison, Green Bay, and Chicago are in process to open soon. Now we can really get down and work at helping our veterans and their families. Member Board of Directors and reorganizer of the USO of Wisconsin Milwaukee. The USO of Wisconsin about 3 years ago stopped there operation. When a few of us found out about this we decided we could not let that happen. The mission of the USO of Wisconsin is to enhance the quality of life of the US Armed Forces personal and their families. There were no funds or directors. We started from scratch to reorganize immediately and start to fund raise and develop pro-grams and services. We are a Non-Profit that receives NO direct financial support from the Government or any branch of the Armed Forces. None of the officers or board members receives any compensation. We are volunteers. We are committed to Supporting Active Duty Personal, National Guard and Reserve Units. We help with deployments and homecomings, family days, holiday parties and family support meetings by providing refreshments and information. We are planning to open a place at General Mitchell Airport for the Veterans and families to relax. We are now back on the road to helping our Armed Forces Personal and their families. I Lived in Milwaukee WI, 5262 S. 9th & Grange 45Years Had a COPD attack and breathing stoppage on 9/30/16 Had a Heart stoppage on 4/17 and a second a week later. Had another COPD attack and breathing stoppage a week later. Was put on Oxygen forever. Found out I had only a 20% live heart. Moved to a Apartment in Cudahy Wisconsin on 9/1/2017 3350 E. Ramsey Ave. Next move will be to UNION GROVE VETERANS CEMETERY