May 6, 1942 – Oct. 14, 2023
Ted Sosnowski was in the Army when he began finding out what his aptitude for math was worth.
Serving with the 8th Infantry Division in Germany, he was in Finance Corps. One of his assignments was to hand out the paychecks. His son Douglas said he was the most popular man in the unit.
Until then, Mr. Sosnowski had his eye on a career as a pharmacist. He took the required courses during his freshman year at Fordham University in New York City, but finances kept him from continuing. So he enlisted.
What he learned in the Army served him well when he returned to work in the corporate world. He rose to become chief financial officer for Sherwood Corp., a manufacturer of valves for propane tanks and scuba diving gear.
He died Oct. 14 in his Williamsville home after a lengthy period of declining health. He was 81.
Theodore S. Sosnowski was born in Niagara Falls, the son of a welder for Hooker Chemical Corp. and the older of two boys.
He attended Sacred Heart School, LaSalle Middle School and all-boys Bishop Duffy High School, where he was a member of the Chess Club and the Debating Society, graduating in 1960.
While in high school, he met Patricia A. Gerbasi at a picnic at St. John de LaSalle Catholic Church, where both of their families were parishioners. He wrote to her regularly while he was in the Army and they were married at St. John de LaSalle in May 1965.
By then he was working with computers in data processing at Carborundum Corp. in Niagara Falls. He earned an associate degree from Niagara County Community College and quickly received promotions. Later, at Capital University in Ohio, he completed a bachelor’s degree in business administration.
In the early 1970s, he joined Sherwood in Lockport and was plant controller in 1979 when parent company Hill Acme transferred him to Cleveland.
As corporate controller, Mr. Sosnowski firmly believed that self-insurance for health care and liability was the best policy for the company, his son said, and he traveled extensively in the U.S. and abroad for liability cases.
After Hill Acme was acquired, he became a vice president of finance and administration and came back in 1985 to the Sherwood plant in Lockport, where he also was head of human resources.
Retiring in 2000, he went on to serve for seven years as business administrator for Christ the King Catholic Church in Snyder.
Mr. Sosnowski was active for 37 years in St. Gregory the Great Catholic Church, where he was a eucharistic minister, sang in the choir, led parish mission workshops and helped establish a perpetual adoration chapel.
The father of five boys, he was an assistant scoutmaster and led many camping expeditions to Boy Scout camps and Allegany State Park. He also coached youth baseball.
“He was a great manager,” his son said. “He made sure the kids who were left behind were under his wing. He loved the underdog.”
He enjoyed fishing with his friends, sons and grandchildren, and in retirement became adept at woodworking.
In addition to his wife of 58 years, who taught pre-school children, survivors include five sons, Brian, Douglas, Michael, Stephen and Jason; and nine grandchildren.
A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10:30 a.m. Thursday in St. Gregory the Great Church, 200 St. Gregory Court at Maple Road, Amherst.
Email [email protected].
