Robert F. "Ski" Wilcinski, Of Waltham, passed away peacefully early Sunday morning December 31st, 2017 at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston after a brief illness at the age of 74.
Born on December 6, 1943 in Cambridge; beloved son of the late Stephen S. Wilcinski and Helen M.(McShea) Wilcinski, Ski was raised and educated in Belmont. He traveled throughout the mid-west and west spending most of his time in Michigan, several years in Iowa and 7 years in Kirkland, Washington before moving back to Massachusetts and residing in Waltham for the past 3 months.
A graduate of Belmont High School with the Class of 1961, Ski excelled at sports as an All-Scholastic Athlete. He played on the baseball team, football team, and was Co-Captain of the hockey team. After high school, Ski went onto Bridgeton Academy and Ellsworth Jr. College. At Ellsworth he was an All-American NCAA Junior College Athlete in both football and baseball. He graduated from Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa with a Bachelor's degree in Physical Education.
Ski worked in sales for many years throughout the Midwest before settling down in Michigan. While in Michigan, he would often say there was no good place to find a great sandwich, so he opened a sub shop named "Ski's". He owned and operated the business for many years before selling it to one of his employee's and moved on to work at Johnson Controls in Holland, Michigan. He later moved to Iowa and worked for Club Demonstration Services (CDS) a division of the Costco Corporation. After several years, Ski moved to Kirkland, Washington and began working for the CDS and part-time for the Seattle Mariner's Baseball team. Most recently, when he returned to Massachusetts Ski had been employed at CDS in Waltham.
He loved life and lived it to the fullest; traveling all around the country driving his motorcycle. He was a huge Harley Davidson Motorcycle enthusiast. He loved sports, was an avid golfer, and loved hunting.
Ski is survived by his daughter Wendy Rode and her husband Mark of Michigan, his loving brother Richard J. Wilcinski and his wife Maureen Wilcinski of Westford, his cherished niece and goddaughter Stephanie Wilcinski, his dear niece Betty Perrone and her husband Paul, and beloved nephew Stephen "Ski" Wilcinski and his devoted companion Monique Hopkins. In addition he is survived by 3 grandchildren, Harley, Danielle, and MacKenzie Rode.
Dear brother of the late Waltham Police Officer Stephen Wilcinski.
Relatives & Friends are respectfully invited to attend a Funeral Service in celebration of Robert’s Life in the Mary Catherine Chapel of Brasco & Sons Memorial, 773 Moody Street, WALTHAM on Monday morning January 8th at 11:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to the American Cancer Society, 30 Speen St, Framingham, MA 01701 .
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