Alexander "Alec" Kaminski, 97, of North Charleston, South Carolina, devoted husband of Ann Orlowska Kaminski, entered into eternal rest Tuesday, June 20, 2017. A private service will be held at a later date. Arrangements by J. Henry Stuhr, Inc. Downtown Chapel.
Alexander was born February 27, 1920 in Prostyn, Poland, son of the late Boleslaw Kaminski and Waleria Krzeminska Kaminski. After graduating from high school in 1938, he served his year of mandatory military service and became a Corporal-Cadet Officer. Alexander had planned to attend college, but was called to active duty, serving with the Polish Artillery unit and was on the front line when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. He eventually made his way to Scotland to train as a paratrooper and then back to Germany following D-Day. It was there that he met his future wife, Ann, who had just been liberated from a women's POW camp.
Alexander and Ann were married in 1946 and moved to London where he received a scholarship and earned a degree in Chemistry, specializing in synthetic rubber. He was Chief Chemist for Super Oil Seals, Ltd. in Huntington England, and then moved to Ontario, Canada to do research for the General Tire Company. Following a long awaited move to the United States, he became the Director of Research at E. F. Houghton Company and went on to become a leading authority on "O" rings representing the U.S.A. at the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
Alexander was the President of the Rubber Group of the American Chemical Society and an officer in numerous professional organizations. He attended Christ Our King Catholic Church while residing in Mt. Pleasant. He was an avid chess and Master bridge player.
Alexander is survived by his wife Ann; son, Christopher A. Kaminski (Deborah); daughter, Wendy K. Gibson (C. Allen Gibson, Jr.); five grandchildren: Carolyn S. Kaminski, Megan M. Kaminski, Walker A. Gibson (Kristin), Andrew P. Gibson (Kelly), and Gordon L. Gibson; and two great-grandchildren: Grace E. Gibson and Henry W. Gibson.
He was predeceased by his sister, Jasia Niklewska.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Palladium Hospice, 9279 Medical Plaza Drive, Suite B, N. Charleston, SC 29406 or Christ Our King Catholic Church, 1149 Russell Drive, Mount Pleasant, SC, 29464.