Walter J. Stopa

United States army 1941-1945

world war ii

corporal

bronze star

purple heart

Walter J. Stopa was born in Meriden, CT on October 27, 1920 of immigrant parents, John and Mary (Czapiga) Stopa from Poland. He attended St. Stanislaus School and served as an altar boy at St. Stanislaus Church. (It was there that he met Father Paul Bartlewski, who would later become the pastor of St. Adalbert Church in Enfield.) He graduated from Meriden High School in 1937.

Walt enlisted in the U.S Army on October 5, 1939. He was activated on February 24, 1941. In January of 1942, he found himself on his way to the Asiatic Pacific Theater, where he served in New Guinea, Southern Philippines and Luzon as part of Company K 19th Infantry. He spent some of his deployment as a squad leader. Walt was wounded on February 15, 1945. Three months later on May 24, 1945, he was separated from the Army at Ft. Devens, MA. He had achieved the rank of Corporal.

In addition to a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star, he was awarded the Combat Infantryman Badge. He received a Good Conduct Medal, a Philippine Liberation Ribbon with one Service Star, an American Defense Service Medal, and an Asiatic Pacific Theater Campaign Ribbon with three Service Stars.

Returning to civilian life, Walt took advantage of the G.I. Bill and attended Penn. State College of Optometry. Upon graduation he opened an office in Thompsonville in the late 1940s.

On October 22, 1949, Walt was lucky enough to marry Virginia Cielakiewicz. He and Jinnie lived in Meriden, while he commuted to Thompsonville. Once he had firmly established his practice, he and Jinnie moved to Thompsonville, where his practice grew. Jinnie was a terrific office manager, bookkeeper and sometimes receptionist. They also grew their family -- they had three kids, two girls and a boy.

He reconnected with Father Paul, who by this time was the pastor of St. Adalbert Church. Father Paul appointed Walt a Trustee of the church and together they were instrumental in building St. Adalbert School.

A patient had asked him in 1976 when he planned to retire. He was only 55, he said, and still had two kids in college. Besides, he really liked what he did. He said they would have to carry him out. They did. Dr. Walter J. Stopa died on March 22, 1976.

In December, 1943 Walt sent his sister a photo and a short poem from the Philippines:

Before you stands 140 lbs. of fine American man,

Complete with zoot suit,

Hair slicked down,

And foolish grin on pan.

Save it for me, and when things get tough

In the future, I'll look and say:

"If you could grin, Stopa, in times like those --

You can laugh out loud today."

--Walt Stopa