Larry Ziemianski will be deeply missed. His commitment to the John Paul II Foundation was priceless. He has served and helped our Foundation throughout many years as the presidents of the Friends of John Paul II Foundation Washington Chapter and as a member of our Foundation. Larry was also known for his dedication to the Catholic Church and we pray that our Eternal Father takes his soul into heaven. Someone so special can never be forgotten may his soul rest in peace.
Larry Ziemianski was elected President of the Friends of John Paul II Foundation in November 1998. At the time he was a permanent Deacon of the Church and a practicing dentist in Vienna, Virginia. His Alma Mater was the University of Pittsburgh, School of Dental Medicine where he was a faculty member and was elected to the Board of Education in New Kensington, Pennsylvania.
As Deacon, he served as Bishop’s Liaison to the Charismatic Renewal in the Diocese of Arlington, Virginia. He also served on the National Executive Committee of President Reagan’s “1993 – the Year of the Bible”
In response to Pope John Paul II’s call for Evangelization 2000 has led Larry through decades of Conferences on Evangelization in Northern Virginia. He has served on the National Advisory Committee of the Charismatic Renewal and as advisor to the Word of God Institute in Washington, D.C. In 1999, he and his wife Marjory led a pilgrimage to some of the Baltic countries, and Poland during the Pope’s visit to Poland.
When he retired, he and his wife Marjory moved to Florida where sadly Marjory died. He has continued to keep an interest in the activities of the Friends of the John Paul II Foundation.
Of late he has taken an interest in his Polish background. Earlier he had a translation done of his cousin Father Gerard Schmidt’s biography. Father Schmidt died in 1938 just before the Second World War, thus ending any efforts to have him sanctified.
Larry is the Father of three and grandfather of five. His entire family is known for their dedication to St. John Paul II. Dr. Ziemianski was honored by Pope St. John Paul II with Knighthood “Knight Commander of St. Gregory the Great.”
