Michael Masnik

Michael “Mike” Masnik, 95, of Lynchburg, passed away on Wednesday, February 11, 2015, after a long and happy life. He was the loving husband of Helen Masnik both of Westminster Canterbury, Lynchburg.

Mike was born in Sewaren, New Jersey on October 23, 1919. He was the first generation son born of Ukrainian immigrants Michael and Mary Masnik who had left Eastern Europe for a better life in America. Mike attended Massachusetts Institute of Technology, graduating with a BS in Electrical Engineering.   He was a member of MIT’s ROTC, was Commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army Signal Corps and entered active duty in September 1941 on the eve of WWII.   Mike proudly served his country through the war, leaving the service in 1946 with the rank of Captain. He served overseas in the Canal Zone, Galapagos Islands, the Panamanian Island of Coiba and Canada. His education and engineering skills were invaluable to the Army Air Corps, maintaining teletype and radar facilities necessary for the protection of the Panama Canal.

After the war Mike worked briefly for International Telephone and Telegraph Company in NYC. There he met and married the love of his life, Helen Waslo, enjoying 69 years of marriage. In July 1949 he began a career with the General Electric Company that ultimately spanned 35 years, starting in New York City, then Schenectady, NY, with subsequent assignments in Syracuse, NY, Charlottesville, Virginia, and finally Lynchburg. Mike attended Syracuse University Law School at nights passing the New York State Bar exam in 1955. He served as a patent counsel for General Electric, first in the area of electronics and later focusing on intellectual property disputes. After retiring from GE he ran his own patent/intellectual property consulting firm for five years out of his home in Lynchburg with Helen. He was a senior member of IEEE and was a member of the New York and Virginia bars. Although he occasionally complained about the tedious nature of patent and copyright law he would frequently regale the family with stories of interesting cases.

Mike loved the ocean and when the children were young was never happier than to be with the family at their beach house on the New Jersey shore. Later in life he and Helen would spend winters in Florida at Vero Beach. He loved to swim and beachcomb and seemed to draw energy from the ocean. Mike loved to travel and after retiring from GE he and Helen traveled frequently for business and pleasure.   An inveterate photographer, investor, reader and letter writer, he loved music, playing the violin as a boy and the harmonica later in life, and loved to sing and read poetry.

In addition to his parents Mike is preceded in death by his brother Walter of Mendham, New Jersey, and his daughter Cathy of Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to his loving wife Helen, Mike is survived by his son Michael and wife Annette, of Winchester, Virginia; son Robert, of Lynchburg, Virginia, and daughter Barbara and husband Dr. James Waring of Yorktown, Virginia.   Six grandchildren: Greg, Ted, Sarah, James, Kathleen, and Martha, and four great-grandchildren: Mackenzie, Madison, Tori and Dean.

The family wishes to thank the staff of Westminster Canterbury, Lynchburg, especially Vicky, Sharon, and Alicia for all their love and kindness given freely to Mike during his long illness.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00pm on Saturday, March 14 at Westminster Canterbury Lynchburg. Mike’s remains will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

In lieu of flowers please consider a contribution in Mike’s name to a charity of your own choosing or the Fellowship Endowment Fund of Westminster Canterbury, Lynchburg.

Tharp Funeral Home, Lynchburg, is assisting the family, (434) 237-9424, to send condolences please go to www.obituaries.tharpfuneralhome.com.