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Brzezinski was born in Gdenia, Poland in 1921, to a family of master clockmakers. He joined the Polish Merchant Marines. He achieved the rank of lieutenant in the Polish Merchant Marines. In 1939, when Germany invaded Poland, his ship was in harbor in New York City. The U.S. government knew the crew wouldn't want to return to Poland and found the men homes with Polish-immigrant families in Yonkers.
When the U.S. joined the war in 1942, he enlisted in the U.S. Army. He was a chef in the officers mess at an army camp in Arizona. He was reassigned to Camp Ritchie, Md., the US Army Military Intelligence Training Center.
After the war, Brzezinski worked as a chef at the Hawthorne-Cedar Knolls School. He gave in to his familial genes and opened a clock shop that was to become a fixture on Purchase Street. He was the owner of Rye Clock & Jewel shop for nearly 50 years. He was called upon to repair the huge clock in Rye City Hall and in those of other towns in Westchester and Connecticut. In the 1990s a documentary about artisans in dying professions featured Brzezinski. The movie was shown at the Rye Free Reading Room among other venues.
Brzezinski is survived by his wife, Ursula; nieces, Claire Palermo Flower of Harrison, Eva Brzezinski Bonano of New Jersey; nephews, Dr. Francis Palermo of Boulder, Colo., Dr. Maurice Palermo, Jr. of Reno, Nev., and Adam Brzezinski of Poland. He was predeceased by his wife, Mildred; and brother, Alex.
There will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 26 at Corpus Christi Church, Port Chester. Entombment to follow at St. Mary's Cemetery, Rye Brook.
Craft Memorial Home, Port Chester are in charge of arrangements.
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