Richard J. Zalenski

Richard Joseph Zalenski of Sewickley died Thursday, December 9, 2021. He was born in Ambridge, on April 21, 1948, a son of the late Stephen John and Frances Dunn Zalenski.  Richard was a member of Divine Redeemer Parish in Sewickley, where he was an active Eucharist Minister and Sacristan.  After earning his G.E.D. from St. Veronica High School in 1965, Richard joined the Marine Corps in December of 1966. He served honorably in the Vietnam war. He was awarded the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnamese Service Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Combat Service Ribbon, the Vietnamese Campaign Medal, and a Purple Heart for being wounded in the Battle of Khe Sanh. After returning home in 1970, he worked at J&L Steel. He then went on to study at Gateway Technical school and CCAC’s Westinghouse Robotics program from 1983 to 1985 and obtained a Certified Manufacturing Engineer designation. In April 1985, he began his 27-year career with the United States Postal Service as an Electronic Technician.  Richard is survived by his beautiful wife, Judith, and brother, Francis Zalenski. He was a proud father to daughter Jennifer Zalenski McKinney, stepdaughter Michelle Anderson Lauber, and stepsons John Anderson, Ronald Anderson, Mark Anderson, and Kirk Anderson. He will be remembered with love by his 11 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.  Visitation will be held on Thursday and Friday from 2-4 & 6-8 P.M. in the John Syka Funeral Home, 833 Kennedy Drive, Ambridge, from where a prayer will be held on Saturday at 10:30 A.M. followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM in the Divine Redeemer Parish located at 200 Walnut Street, Sewickley, PA 15143. Richard will be laid to rest at Good Samaritan Cemetery in Bell Acres, with full military honors. 

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