Harry M. Urbanski

Harry was born Feb. 20, 1928, in Wakefield, son of the late Frank and Rozalia “Rose” (Pawlowski) Urbanski, both immigrants from Poland.

He was the youngest of the Urbanski clan. Growing up, he served mass every weekday prior to going to school. During the War, he found himself responsible for all the farm chores while his brothers served our country.

He attended Wakefield High School, graduating in 1946. He then went to work for the Kimberly Clark William Bonifas Lumber Company in Marenisco, as a green lumber piler. He was never afraid of hard work.

Harry married Mary Galiardi, his high school sweetheart, on July 2, 1949, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Wakefield. Their wedding Mass was concelebrated by three priests. Their marriage was a love story of 74 years.

In 1950, Harry took a job as an underground ore hauler with Pick and Mather Co. at the Sunday Lake Mine in Wakefield. He worked in the mine for 10 years before it closed.

At age 33, he decided to obtain a degree in teaching. Harry attended Gogebic Community College, earning an associate degree in arts in 1963. He then went on to Northern Michigan University to obtain his bachelor of arts in education in 1965. That same year he took a position as a math teacher with the Iron Mountain Public Schools. He furthered his education throughout his career, obtaining his master of arts degree in education from Northern Michigan University. He retired in 1989.

Teaching was his passion. His students affectionately called him Papa Smurf. He treasured the lasting friendships he made while teaching and prided himself on coaching middle school basketball. He jestfully claimed to be one of Tom Izzo’s early mentors.

Harry was a member of St. Mary Queen of Peace Parish and committed many hours to prayer in the Iron Mountain Adoration Chapel. He was an altar server and usher until his health prevented him from doing so. He was a devout Catholic with a special devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary, praying the rosary multiple times throughout the day.

Harry enjoyed family get-togethers especially during the holidays and birthday parties. Sadly, his “Five Gold Rings” will be forever changed in the family’s traditional singing of “The Twelve Days of Christmas.”

He took his card playing very seriously. Once he taught his family a card game, he was relentless. Whenever one or all of the five Urbanski brothers gathered at the cottage on Lake Gogebic or at the camp on Way Dam Road, you could be sure a game of poker, cribbage, smear, casino or pinochle would ensue. He loved being involved in two smear clubs: one with former employees of the public schools; the other, with friends from the Way Dam area.

Harry hosted at his camp frequently and was the scorekeeper for many years. It was no surprise that most years he was in the top four winners and of course he published the winners along with a photo in The Daily News. Harry treasured all the time he spent at his camp: The Barnyard. It was his happy place. He was it’s architect and construction manager. He enjoyed many a day hunting and fishing on the lakes in the Way Dam area.

Harry was a good man and a true gentleman with a keen sense of humor. He will be missed by all who knew him.

He is survived by his wife of 74 years, Mary; three children; Elizabeth (Jeff) Stack of Norway, Frank (Joan) Urbanski of North Sioux City, S.D. and Mary Kay (Carl) Johnson of Harvey; grandchildren, Michelle (Brandon) Morey, Justin Urbanski, Ashley (Jeff) Bengtzen, Catherine (Nate) Doyle, and Emilie Stack; step-grandchildren, Lindsey (Nate) Swenson and Mandy (Lance Fischer) Johnson; great-grandchildren, Jaden Urbanski, Emma Jean Urbanski, Kash Urbanski, Priya Morey, Avalyn Morey, Colton Bengtzen and Isabella Bengtzen; a step great-grandchild, Vincent Lebakken; and many nieces and nephews. 

Along with his parents, Harry was preceded in death by eight siblings, Celia Urbanski, Mary Bridgeman, Bernice Gibas, Sophie Boedighimer, John Urbanski, Charles Urbanski, Leo Urbanski and Zigmund Urbanski; and his beloved mother-in-law, Catherine Galiardi.

Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 9 at the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home in Iron Mountain. A rosary will be recited following the visitation. A Memorial Mass will be offered at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 10 at St. Mary Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Kingsford. The Very Reverend Michael Woempner will officiate. Concelebrating will be Very Reverends Timothy Ekaitis and Janusz Romanek. Interment will be in the Wakefield Cemetery. The members of both smear clubs will serve as honorary pallbearers.

The family would like to thank the numerous staff of Evergreen Assisted Living, Optalis, Marshfield Medical Center Dickinson, Doctors Groeneveld and Shaker and Bellin My Home/My Care for taking such loving, compassionate care of Harry.

Condolences to the family of Harry Urbanski may be expressed online at www.ernashfuneralhomes.com.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Carmelite Monastery, P.O. Box 397, Iron Mountain, MI 49801.

The family has entrusted the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home of Iron Mountain with the arrangements.