Foil: 31 Panel: 3 Column: 2 Line: 25

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Sponsor

Honored by:
Cathy Anderson

Stephen Jerome Gawarecki (July 31, 1929 – March 22, 2023)
Steve was born in Newark, New Jersey, the fourth and final child of Stephen and Bertha Gawarecki, both immigrants from Poland. He was raised within the thriving Polish Catholic community. He had a brother who died in infancy and remained close to his older sisters Virginia Osiecki and Josephine Wiech. He was the first in his family to attend college, graduating from Rutgers with a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Geology. In 1954 he married his college sweetheart Carolyn Ann Grosse. He entered the Navy during the Korean War, serving on the U.S.S. Yorktown aircraft carrier as a Fire Control Officer, with the rank of Lieutenant. After his service, he attended the University of Colorado and attained a PhD in Geology. Steve spent most of his scientific career with the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, Virginia, where he specialized in interpretation of remote sensing satellite imagery. He also traveled worldwide under the auspices of the Agency for International Development helping to train geologists in developing countries, including Thailand, Indonesia, and Nigeria. After taking early retirement from the USGS in 1986, Steve turned his photography hobby into a professional pursuit and was successful at sales and work taking technical photos of artwork. He specialized in evocative landscapes, architectural abstracts, and still-life compositions, inspired by his love of travel and geology. He has shown, sold, and won awards in regional art venues, the Art League, and in Virginia and Washington-area galleries and venues. As a USGS employee, and then retiree, Steve founded the USGS Camera Club and since 1975 participated in 35 of the agency’s annual National Exhibitions. Steve has been a member of the Art League, Vienna Arts Society, Springfield Art Guild, USGS Camera Club, and the Northern Virginia Photographic Society.