Stephen Kolesnik Jr. lived a quiet life. He had no surviving family, wasn’t famous, and spent his later years alone. But when the 97-year-old World War II veteran was laid to rest, something truly remarkable happened.
On a chilly Tuesday, despite snowy weather, hundreds of people gathered at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery in Boscawen to honor a man many had never met. They stood together, paying their respects to someone who feared he’d be forgotten.
“When you’re a veteran, you’ve got family,” a funeral speaker said during the service. “He was afraid he would die alone… and look what has happened.”
Stephen passed away on December 1 in hospice care. Before he died, he confided in his hospice nurse, Becky Lynn, that he worried no one would come to his funeral. Becky shared his story — and the response was overwhelming.
Kevin Dougherty, one of the more than 200 people who attended, posted on social media afterward. “Considering a messy snowfall last night and more coming overnight, a nice crowd of New Hampshire veterans showed up, representing all services from a World War II vet to recent Iraq and Afghanistan war vets. Fair winds and following seas, Stephen.”
Becky never expected such a large turnout. “Honestly, I thought it would be just another service,” she said. “I didn’t expect this.”
Who Was Stephen Kolesnik Jr.?
Stephen was born on February 28, 1927, in Winchester, Massachusetts, to Stephen and Ella May Kolesnik. Before turning 18, he enlisted in the Navy during World War II, serving as a Fireman Second Class. He was honorably discharged in 1946 and received several medals, including the World War II Victory Medal, the American Theater Medal, and the Asiatic-Pacific Theater Medal.
After his military service, Stephen worked as a mechanic for nearly 30 years with the Boston and Maine Railroad. In his free time, he loved the outdoors. Hiking, fishing, hunting, and walking were his passions, and he often trekked more than 30 miles a week.
Stephen was preceded in death by his wife, Lillie Ellen, his brother and sister, and his longtime companion, Priscilla Sherman.
Though he thought he’d leave this world alone, Stephen’s funeral showed that even in solitude, a life well lived can touch many hearts. His legacy lives on in the kindness of strangers who came together to honor his memory.
