Leszek Ochota's Obituary
Leszek Ochota
St. Michaels, Leszek Ochota, 91, of St. Michaels, passed away on Saturday, September 14, 2013 at Talbot Hospice House, after a two year battle with cancer. Dr. Ochota was born in the Free City of Gdansk, Poland on May 2, 1922 to Franciszek and Monika (Landowska) Ochota. In September 1939, at age 17, he left Poland when the Germans invaded and he joined the Polish Army in exile (2DSP) in France. He fought in France until June 1940, when the French army was defeated, at which time he blew up a bridge near St. Hypollite that helped to allow 12,000 Polish soldiers to reach Switzerland as they escaped on foot from a German tank battalion. In Switzerland, he met his future wife, Elisabeth and received his medical degree in 1950. He came to America in 1952, married Elisabeth in 1955, becoming a citizen in 1957. He was a practicing physician and served as adjunct faculty at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Ochota became a Mason in 1952 and served as Worshipful Master of the Arminius Lodge FAAM and the La Fayette Lodge #19 in 1976, and the Pythagorus Lodge of Research in 1980. He was a 32nd degree Scottish Rite, and Shriner of Boumi Temple, as well as the Grand Lodge Physician in Maryland. He stated that one of his greatest moments was being able to open his lodge with George Washington’s gavel in 1976. Dr. Ochota was an avid reader and read extensively in English, German, Polish, Latin, Italian, and French. Until several weeks before his death, he had been a life-long swimmer and consistently swam 40 laps daily at the YMCA in Easton. He is survived by his children Krystyna Ochota, Janusz Ochota, and Halina Ochota Burns, his sons-in-law Ted Reischl and Ernie Burns, and his beloved grandchildren Robert Ochota and Julianna Burns. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 53 years Elisabeth Ann (Bapst) Ochota. A private service will be held on Saturday, September 21, 2013. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Shriners’ Hospitals for Children (www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org , 1-800-241-4438). Arrangements are by the Ostrowski Funeral Home, St. Michaels, MD.
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