Harry A. Popiel

Harry A. Popiel, 77, of Waseca passed away November 4, 2019 at St. Mary's Hospital in Rochester. He was born October 30, 1942 in Bradford, Pennsylvania to Simon and Ida Huggler Popiel.
Harry moved with his family from Bradford to Portville, NY in 1952. He graduated in 1960 from Portville Central School. He graduated in 1965 from St. Bonaventure University, Allegany, NY with a Bachelor's Degree in Economics and graduated in 1979 with a Master's Degree in Business Administration.
He worked at Aerovox (later AVX Ceramics) while in college and after graduation. In 1967, he was accepted as an officer in the US Air Force, attaining the rank of Major and earning the Meritorious Service Award. He later served in the US Air Force Reserves.
On November 26, 1969, he married Sandra (DeLoyd) of Duluth, Minnesota. They met while he was stationed in Duluth. This month they would have been married fifty years.
In 1971, after discharge from active duty, Harry returned to Portville, NY. He worked at AVX Ceramics until 1974. He worked at Dresser Clark in Olean, NY from 1974 to 1983.
Harry moved with his family to Waseca in 1984. He worked for two years at EF Johnson Company, then went on to work at Brown Printing Company, where he was Corporate Vice President of Human Resources.
After retiring from Brown Printing Company in 2009, Harry became very active in the construction of a Waseca County Veterans Memorial. After years of diligent effort, by him and others, the Memorial is now complete. Harry was a landscape photographer, and his photos were exhibited. He also enjoyed music, reading, and avidly kept up with the daily news. In his younger years, he excelled at playing the drums. He loved classic cars and owned a Triumph TR-250. He greatly enjoyed meeting weekly with good friends for morning coffee. He shared his home with beloved dogs and cats.
Harry is survived by his wife, Sandra, of Waseca; a daughter, Andrea Popiel, of New York City; a son, Jed (Jennifer) Popiel and two grandsons, Rowan James Popiel and Rennan Simon Popiel, all of Richfield, Minnesota. He also is survived by a brother, Peter Popiel, of Massena, NY; a sister, Kathy (Robert) Parker, of Allegany, NY; a niece, Amy Ouimet; and three nephews, Brian, Jonathan and Michael Popiel.
Harry was preceded in death by his parents and a sister-in-law, Kay Popiel.
Visitation 6-8PM, November 15, 2019, Friday, in the evening at McRaith Chapel in Waseca. A memorial service at 10 AM, November 16, Saturday, at McRaith and burial at 5 p.m. at Lakewood Cemetery in Minneapolis.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project or the Bonaventure Fund at St. Bonaventure University