Edward Melvin Morascyzk
Edward Melvin Morascyzk, 91, of Washington, passed away peacefully Monday, August 20, 2018, after a short stay at Southmont of Presbyterian SeniorCare, Washington.
He was born April 30, 1927, in Johnstown, a son of Edward J. and Stella Stawiarz Morascyzk.
Following graduation from Franklin High School in 1945, he enlisted and served proudly in the U.S. Navy for seven years. After being honorably discharged from active duty and graduating from Pennsylvania State Police Academy, he began a 24-year career as a Pennsylvania state policeman. During his tenure, he was a pioneer crime scene investigator and earned the nickname, “Smudge,” for his fingerprinting prowess and development of fingerprinting techniques. He was one of the first investigators in Pennsylvania to use color photographs for investigative analysis. While he was involved in thousands of cases during his career, the most notable case he investigated, and about which he testified in court, was the Yablonski case, which spanned the early 1970s.
After retirement from the Pennsylvania State Police, he served as chief deputy sheriff of Washington County, and thereafter was affectionately known by family and friends as the “chief.” He was a past president of Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 47, membership in which he held for more than 60 years. During the past several years, he took pride in attending the FOP meetings and being recognized as its oldest living member.
In his early 60s, he learned to play the button box. He was a member of International Button Box Club, greatly enjoyed attending the weekly “jam” sessions and hosting his annual “Button Box Bash.” He was an avid boater and for many years enjoyed spending weekends on the Monongahela River with family and friends. An accomplished professional photographer, he photographed hundreds of weddings, was the official game photographer for the Washington & Jefferson College football team, owned and operated pioneering videotape equipment at W&J wrestling matches and for decades, with his loving wife Elena, enjoyed photographing children with Santa at Washington Mall.
On June 14, 1952, he married the love of his life, Elena Marie Falconi, who after being inseparable for more than 44 years, passed away in 1996.
Surviving are his sons, Edward (Elaine) Morascyzk and Angelo (Karen) Morascyzk; five grandchildren, Joseph (Christina) Morascyzk, Angela (T.J.) Srsic, Michael (Tara Jo) Morascyzk, Kristen (Mark “Matt”) Lesako and E.J. (Stacey) Morascyzk; 10 great-grandchildren, Michael Angelo Morascyzk, Dante “Bruno” Srsic, Isabella “Lucybelle” Lesako, Elena Morascyzk, Dominic Srsic, Ethan “Nathan” Lesako, Angeline Morascyzk, Severio Joseph Morascyzk, R.J. Morascyzk and Enzo Cesare Morascyzk; several nieces and nephews; three sisters, Agnes Wicks of Johnstown, Mary Florence Fisher of Carson City, Nev., and Dolores Sewak of Canonsburg; and a brother, John Morascyzk of Johnstown.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Melvin Morascyzk.
Friends will be received from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday and 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Monday in Mario L. DeAngelo Funeral Home, 194 East College Street, Canonsburg. A Fraternal Order of Police ceremony will be held at 7 p.m. Monday in the funeral home. Departing prayers will be held in the funeral home at 9 a.m. Tuesday, August 28, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. in St. Patrick Roman Catholic Church, Canonsburg. Interment will follow at 11 a.m. in National Cemetery of the Alleghenies, Cecil Township, with full military honors by the U.S. Navy and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 191, Canonsburg.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested gifts in Ed’s memory be made to Washington County Community Foundation, P.O. Box 308, Eighty Four, PA 15330, 724-222-6330.
A guest book is available at www.deangelocare.com.