Leonard Joseph Suligowski
Polish heraldic artist
Born Jul. 1, 1928, Brooklyn (NY), U.S.; son of Chester and Julia (Wojno); child: Richard.
Education: Institute of Applied Sciences, Chicago (IL), 1949; certificate, British Heraldry Society.
Career: private investigator, States of New York and New Jersey, 1956 -; customer service representative, National Airlines; radio announcer, WCPA, Clearfield (PA), WGBB, Freeport (NY).
Author: History of Greenpoint, 1975; Our Polish Nobility, 1977; Bibliography of Known Polish Books in Print Dealing with Heraldry and Genealogy, 1978; History of the Suligowski Family (in progress).
Member of: grand chancellor, Polish Nobility Association; Sovereign Hospitallers Order of St. John of Jerusalem; Polish Genealogical Society; Pilsudski Institute of America.
Honors: Officer Cross - Polonia Restituta; Knight Grand Cross, Order of St. John of Jerusalem; Royal Order of Piast; Royal Order of Jagiello; 8 war medals; listed in Who's Who in Genealogy & Heraldry.
Served with: United States Navy (USN), aviation mechanist, mate 2nd class, 1947-53.
Affiliation: Catholic.
Languages: English, Polish, French, Italian, German, Spanish, heraldic languages.
Home: 218 A North Henry Street, Brooklyn, NY 11222.
From: "Who's Who in Polish America" 1st Edition 1996-1997, Boleslaw Wierzbianski editor; Bicentennial Publishing Corporation, New York, NY, 1996.
![[Suligowski Photo]](Suligowski_L.JPG)
Suligowski, Leonard
(1928 - 2008)
Director of Polish Nobility Foundation
NEW YORK - Heraldic artist Chevalier Leonard J. Suligowski passed away June 19 from complications of a stroke-induced coma at New York's Bellevue Hospital. The life-long resident of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, was for years the director of Heraldry and the College of Heraldry for the Polish Nobility Association Foundation of Baltimore, Md.
During his tenure with the PNAF, Suligowski was the recipient of the following Chivalric awards: Knight's Grand Cross in both, Royal Order of Piast and Royal Order of Jagiello, both with the titles of Chevalier. In addition, he was awarded the Polish Restituta, Officer First Class, from the past President-in-exile, for his contributions to the continuation of promoting the arts and culture associated with Polish heraldry.
He also held the title of Knight of Grace with the Sovereign Hospitaller Order of St. John, Knights of Malta. The walls of his Brooklyn home are literally lined with framed awards accolades and diplomas and certificates of various organizations as well as his Navy memories.
Suligowski was a U.S. Navy Korean Veteran who served aboard four aircraft carriers, including the Bon Homme Richard; he was honorably discharged with five years of service as an Aviation Machinist Mate-Second Class Petty Officer, and receiving the following awards: Navy Combat Action Ribbon; Presidential Unit Citation; Navy Unit Citation; Good Conduct Medal; National Defense Medal; Korean Service Medal (with Star); Korean Presidential Unit citation; Korean War Service Medal; and United Nations Service Medal; American Legion and VFW Service Medals.
Suligowski was a published author of several short stories and newspaper articles in addition to his editorial work as editor of THE WHITE EAGLE newsletter Journal for the PNAF.
Suligowski was a life member of the American Legion and a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. Additionally, he was a member and consultant to the Polish Genealogical Society of America.
He is survived by his only living son, Rik (Suligowski) Fox, a musician/celebrity and current vice- president of the Polish American Congress of Southern California, and founder of the "Living-History" re-enactment group "Suligowski's Regiment."
His son asks that either Mass Cards be offered in lieu of flowers or, donations to either Navy Relief, or the Salvation Army.
Suligowski was also a member of the Organ Donations organization, and has now helped the lives of others through his wishes.
Being a former Navy man, it was Suligowski's wish to be cremated and have his ashes scattered among both, the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, returning him to the sea, which he loved so fondly.
His son Rik may be emailed at [email protected].
Source: Polish American Journal, August 2008, Vol. 97, No. 8.