George Jerzy Konikowski

1942-2018

GEORGE JERZY KONIKOWSKI, 75, passed away peacefully at home on August 17, 2018 following a brief battle with cancer. He was born on October 12, 1942 in Muhlacker, Germany at the height of World War II. He and his family immigrated to the United States on the S/S Ernie Pyle in 1947. He grew up in Huntington, New York and graduated from Walt Whitman High School. He often spoke fondly of childhood memories in which he and his brothers raced go-carts, built forts, and enjoyed his mother’s delicious Polish cooking.

When he and the family moved to Houston, Texas, he attended the University of Houston and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration. After graduating from college, George worked in banking for several years before starting his own business, Jerzy Industries, an industrial hose and fittings company. As a result of this experience, he had a life-long respect for working men and women. He retired at the age of 70 years after a long and successful career.

George was a loving husband, father and brother. His gregarious personality drew people close to him and led to many life-long friendships. He was just as likely to share a wise phrase as he was a joke. Although he loved cars, wine, and art, one of his most prized possessions was a modest spreading knife from childhood, a fact which speaks volumes about the kind of person he was.

Preceded in death by his mother, Wieslawa Dulemba, and father, Tadeusz Konikowski, George will be greatly missed by a large, extended family and countless friends. He is survived by his wife of 47 years, Ann (Culpepper) Konikowski; his daughter, Kim K. Voss, and her husband, Mark; his daughter, Kari K. Blackman, and her husband, Nick; brother, Janusz Konikowski, and wife Jan; brother, Roman Konikowski, and wife Davilene; brother, Les Konikowski, and wife Lynn; and numerous nieces and nephews. His grandchildren include Charlotte Voss, Everett Voss, Graham Blackman and Caroline Blackman. A funeral will be held at 10:00 AM on Wednesday, August 22nd at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Sugar Land. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to the Salvation Army at https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/ways-to-give/.