On July 17th, this community lost one of our last remaining World War II veterans, Henry John Kisiel. Mr. Kisiel died at the New York State Veterans Home in Batavia, New York, with his surviving daughter Diana Kisiel Kastenbaum (Hiram) and his surviving son Kevin John Kisiel at his bedside. As taps played over the loudspeaker to signal a death of a soldier, he was already on his way to meet his beautiful and beloved bride, Lois Quartley Kisiel and his eldest and precious son, Kim Henry Kisiel, who both predeceased him. And as the procession that is enacted at the Veterans Home every time a soldier passes, Henry’s body draped in an American flag was wheeled past our veterans who bravely fought and served in our armed forces and the nurses and staff who care for them as they lined the corridors. With American flags in their hands and the call over the speaker, “Present Arms”, Henry moved through the halls as his fellow soldiers saluted and Taps were played once again with the family following behind. Henry was already on his way to being held again by his loving parents, Stanislaus Kisiel and Gladys Wisniewska Kisiel, who predeceased him. And as the flag was carefully folded outside and his body gently transferred to the waiting hearse, he was already on his way to meet his siblings who predeceased him - Wanda Kisiel Pulvino (Fred), Stanley Cecil Kisiel, Jr. (Alice), Cecil Stanley Kisiel (Adeline), Marion Kisiel Pcionek (Adam), Helen Kisiel Johnson (William, Sr.), Eleanor Kisiel DeFilippo (Rocco) and Dorothy Kisiel Kujawski (Henry). And as the hearse drove past the gates where the plaque reads “The Price of Freedom is Visible Here”, Henry was already on his way to see his predeceased in-laws welcome him home – his father-in-law Harold C. Quartley, Sr. and mother-in-law Marion Tully Quartley; and his brothers and sisters-in-laws Harold Quartley, Jr. (Barbara), John “Jack” Quartley (Helen), Betty Quartley Gautieri (Vincent), Robert Quartley (Delores), William Quartley, Sr. (Virginia), Gerald Quartley (June) and Dorothy Ann Quartley.
Ninety-eight years on this earth he lived joyfully and with gratitude for his good health, loving family, wonderful friends and long life. He was blessed since his birth on December 16, 1924. Growing up on the south side of the tracks in the Polish-Italian neighborhood of Batavia, New York, he thoroughly enjoyed his life. Even when he was drafted, fresh out of high school to fight in World War II, he bolted through the door to the family dinner table singing (as he always did) “I’m in the Navy now. I’m not behind the plow…” as his mother cried for her youngest son going off to war.
The great adventure that was the Navy, soon became a hard reality with a seriousness that would challenge this young man and shape his life for the rest of his years. Henry was sent to the Pacific Theatre on an aircraft carrier, along with his three buddies who became life-long friends. He served aboard the USS Cape Esperance as an Aviation Machinist’s Mate Third Class. In December of 1944, a day after his 20th birthday, a massive typhoon hit – Typhoon Cobra. It later became known as Halsey’s Typhoon, after Admiral William “Bull” Halsey. The typhoon made a direct hit on the task force as they were attempting to refuel. Mr. Kisiel was told to report to the upper deck to secure the airplanes just as the storm hit. By the time the crew made it topside, all the aircraft had broken free and were in the Pacific. The sustained winds were clocking at 100 mph with gusts up to 140 mph. Three destroyers immediately capsized in the ocean while the rest of the fleet suffered serious damage. Close to 800 men were lost and there were many injuries. This storm impacted more damage on the US Navy than any storm since 1889. Mr. Kisiel retold his experience in the storm as part of the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. (https://www.loc.gov/item/afc2001001.69674/)
Henry returned home from the war in 1946 and went to vocational school to become a tool and die maker. His brother, Cecil Kisiel, had a fledgling tool and die casting company adjacent to their parents’ home. Henry then worked for his brother at Kisiel Die Casting Company which employed many new immigrants and first-generation Poles and Italians. In 1948, he wed Lois Ruth Quartley, also of Batavia. Lois worked during and after the war as an Operator for The New York Telephone Company. The Baby Boom was in full swing so the couple left their apartment on Washington Avenue to the home on Creek Road that Henry designed and built in 1955. Mr. Kisiel was a skilled draftsman and designed the home as a perfect example of mid-century modern architecture. The house was his pride and joy and he and his lovely wife raised their family there. In 2013, for the first time, The Genesee County Landmark Society, honored it as their first ever mid-century modern home to be recognized as such. The home is of red Roman rock-face brick from Louisiana. The plaster interior is over an inch thick. With its round windows accenting the home and deep eaves which overhang the perimeter of the house, it incorporated many of the elements of mid-century modern.
Around this same time, Mr. Kisiel decided to take up flying. During the war, Henry had always wanted to fly the planes and made the decision to get his private pilot’s license. He bought a Piper Tri-Pacer as his first plane and every Sunday took his three young children, after Sunday mass, to the Genesee County Airport for breakfast and a joyride over his home, buzzing the fields and practicing stalls all while his children waved from the plane at their terrified mother in the backyard. His two sons were bitten by the aviation bug and both became private pilots at a very young age and his youngest son, Kevin, went on to fly commercially. Over the years, Henry upgraded his planes to the last one which was a Beechcraft Bonanza. On his latest plane, he found he was always having to replace the landing lights as the vibration would cause them to constantly be replaced. Always the inventor, he made a landing light and patented it, that would withstand the shocks and formed his own small company called Arrowlight which sold the lights through the mail. He got the biggest kick out of his little business until Raytheon realized that maybe they could do the same by creating an improved landing light as it came off the manufacturing floor. Arrowlight became an obsolete product, but Henry got satisfaction that he could move a large corporation to take notice and make the improvement needed by merely offering a little competition.
In the early 1970s, Henry was out of work as a tool and die maker due to the closure of Kisiel Die Casting shortly after his brother’s death. Always the resourceful and optimistic man, Henry looked for small jobs he might be able to do out of the home to be able to provide for his family. He landed a small contract with Scott Aviation to bend frames for firefighters face equipment on a small machine he had rigged up in his basement. With his wife and children bending and shipping boxes of frames back to Scott Aviation, Pinnacle Manufacturing Company was born. He put Pinnacle in his children’s and wife’s name though never owned it himself, but he was clearly the driving force that launched the family business. Gaining more jobs from his reputation as an excellent tool and die maker and always with only a handshake and his honesty and integrity, he grew the company and rented space for his fledgling business from Joe Mancuso who had started the small business incubator on Harvester Avenue. His son, Kim Kisiel, ran the company and Henry was Chairman Emeritus. Kim died in 2019 and the company continues today with his daughter Diana at the helm.
Henry always lived his life from a very fundamental belief that truly followed The Golden Rule – always treat others the way you would want to be treated. He was known as a man of his word. He always believed in treating people fairly and equitably, and silently always rooted for the underdog because he believed in second chances. His love and his ability to provide for his wife and children were always the number one priority in his life. Besides his two remaining children, he is survived by 6 grandchildren – Cortney Kisiel Lundberg (Benjamin), Michael Christopher Kisiel (Ruthie), Daniel Lee Kisiel whom all live in Arizona. Kaylie Kisiel Andrade (Colin) of Cape Cod, Laine Ashley Kisiel of Brooklyn and Millicent Jade Kastenbaum of Manhattan. He is also survived by four great grandchildren – Kennedy Rose Lundberg and Bryce Andrew Lundberg of Arizona; Jack Everett Andrade and Lorena Sophia Andrade of Cape Cod. Henry is survived by his many nieces and nephews whom he loved and cherished deeply and took great joy in their extended families. Two were very close to his heart as they came to live with him, Lois and his children after the death of their own parents – Sandra Johnson Antonucci (Paul) and William Johnson, Jr. (Norma).
Family and friends are cordially invited to share thoughts, condolences and fond memories on Thursday (July 27th) from 5-8pm at the J. LEONARD McANDREW FUNERAL HOME, LLC, 2 Bogue Ave., Batavia, NY. His Mass of Christian Burial will be Friday (July 28th), 10:00am at Resurrection Parish, 18 Ellicott St., Batavia. Committal Service and Military Honors will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery.
Expressions of sympathy can be shared with the family at www.mcandrewfuneralhomes.net.
ARRANGEMENTS WERE ENTRUSTED TO THE J. LEONARD McANDREW FUNERAL HOME, LLC, 2 BOGUE AVE., BATAVIA, NY 14020. RONALD KONIECZNY II, DIRECTOR.
