Chester Martin Kwiecinski

Chester Kwiecinski, of Abilene, passed away Monday, September 1, 2008 at the age of 84. Funeral services, with Rev. David Black officiating, will be at 4:00 p.m. Friday, September 5, at the First United Methodist Church, 202 Butternut Street, Abilene, Texas. Graveside services will be in the Hatcher Cemetery in Franklin, Tennessee. Visitation will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road. Chester Martin Kwiecinski was born in Youngstown, Ohio in 1924 to Angela and Martin Kwiecinski, who had emigrated from Poland. Chet was one of 14 children. He began selling newspapers at age five to help his family. He attended Youngstown schools where he was an honor student. One of his teachers gave him a case of oil paints and brushes because she was impressed with his art ability. While in high school, he worked at the Butler Institute of Art and also drove a milk truck to help his family through the Depression. After graduating from high school in 1943, he joined the Army and was sent to Burma with the Mars Task Force mule pack artillery, replacements for Merrill's Marauders. After the war, he spent several months in China as an Army sign painter. He had opportunities to visit museums in China and gained an appreciation for Chinese art and watercolor techniques. When he came back to the United States, he attended Kansas City Art Institute, where he earned a Master of Fine Arts Degree and received the Best Student Drawing Award. He later worked at a sign company, and taught middle school and high school art in Warren, Ohio. In 1968, he moved to Artesia, New Mexico where he taught art at the College of Artesia. In 1970, he married Mariannne Williamson. In 1973 they moved to Abilene, Texas where he was Director of the Fine Arts Museum for seven years. He then taught art at Kenley for seven years. Throughout his life he worked as an artist, primarily in oils, watercolor and silk screen printing. He also painted large murals and his work is displayed in private collections and museums. Three paintings of his experience in Burma are in the Nimitz Museum in Fredericksburg. He also restored paintings and had an avid interest in geology and the stock market. Always a teacher, he enjoyed helping other artists and loved to see Abilene artists' progress. Chet was generally not "a joiner", but he was pleased when asked to be an honorary member of the Creative Arts Club. Chet is survived by his wife of 38 years, Marianne; a son, Ben of Abilene State School; and a son, Andrew of Arlington, Texas. He has eleven children by a previous marriage: Stefan Kwiecinski of Warren, Ohio; Karen Guarriello and her husband Tom of Stamford Connecticut; Joan Epstein of Truth or Consequences, New Mexico; Bill Kwiecinski and wife Kate, of El Paso, Texas; Mary and husband Alex of San Marcos, Texas; Ann Taylor and husband Scott of Plano, Texas; David Kwiecinski and wife Leslie of Hatch, New Mexico; Leah Palafox and her husband Dennis of Austin, Texas; Martha DeNato and husband Mike of Austin, Texas; and Dan Kwiecinski and wife Vicki of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Chet has nineteen grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Chet was preceded in death by his son, John in 1987. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Kenley School,1434 Matador, Abilene, Texas 79605; First United Methodist Church, 202 Butternut Street, Abilene, Texas 79602; or to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network, 2141 Rosecrans Avenue; Suite 7000, El Segundo, California 90245.