Edward Anthony Bielecki, 83, of Ellicott City, Maryland passed away suddenly on November 5, 2021, just 2 months after losing his beloved wife of 60 years, Patricia Bielecki. Edward was known for his intelligence, outgoing personality, and unique sense of humor, and he will be greatly missed by his family, friends, and neighbors.
Edward was born on October 1, 1938 in Jersey City, New Jersey to the late Chester and Sophie Bielecki. He had a close and special relationship with his older brother, Thomas Bielecki, and his younger sister, Dorothy Cross, who preceded him in death. He attended St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, where he played basketball, and then attended Stevens Institute of Technology on a 4-year academic scholarship. At Stevens, he played varsity basketball and graduated with honors with a Bachelor of Engineering.
Shortly after graduation from college, he worked as an engineer at RCA, met and married the love of his life, had his first child, and earned his Master of Science. It was a very busy couple of years. Edward then moved his family to Maryland, where he had 2 more children. He began his life’s work as an aerospace engineer at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in 1969. Edward started his career working on Apollo XI, where man first walked on the moon, and after many satellite programs in between, ended his career with the GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite) program. He retired from NASA after 30 years, and then worked as a consultant to NASA for an additional 5 years.
Edward enjoyed travelling with his wife, Patricia, and made it a point to visit most of the United States, including cities and national parks, before venturing out to travel in Europe, South America, and Asia. Edward remained active all his life and was an avid runner well into his seventies and then kept up a regimen of 2-3 hour long walks into his eighties. In retirement, Edward and Patricia were inseparable, enjoying trips to Florida every winter, relaxing at their beach home in Ocean City, taking long walks, attending happy hours, doting on their 8 grandchildren, and spending time with family and friends.
Edward will be deeply missed by his daughter Linda Solomich and husband Daniel Solomich, his daughter Sharon Gleeson and husband Al Gleeson, his son Edward D. Bielecki and wife Theresa Bielecki, and his cherished grandchildren, Tyler Gleeson, Jamie Gleeson, Randal Gleeson, Benjamin Solomich, Andrew Bielecki, Sophie Solomich, Anna Solomich, and Julia Bielecki. His passing is also grieved by his brother Thomas Bielecki and wife MaryJo Bielecki, sister-in-law Barbara Gesek, and his loving nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 24th, 2021, at 10 am in the vestibule of St. Louis Catholic Church, 12500 Clarksville Pike, Clarksville, MD 21029. A Funeral Mass will be offered at 11:00 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial donations be made to the American Heart Association at http://www2.heart.org/goto/Edward_Anthony_Bielecki
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