Wasil Moroz

Wasil “Russ” Moroz, 90, of Sagle passed away Wednesday morning at Valley Vista Care Center in Sandpoint. He was born in Fairfield, New York on January 7, 1921 to Maxim and Sophia (Sadovska) Moroz, both Russian immigrants who came to the United States by 1914. An avid fisherman and hunter from an early age, Wasil became a skilled shot with a rifle who then served as a combat infantryman and sharpshooter in World War II. After fighting in the Philippines and New Guinea, he was injured by a mortar attack and was eventually taken to a hospital on Long Island to recover from a concussion and fatigue of battle. He was awarded the Purple Heart and later the Bronze Star, receiving the latter honor more than 50 years later, on December 5, 1995. After his honorable discharge from the Army in 1945, Wasil met and fell in love with Tatiana “Tania” Golovaty, a recent immigrant born in Greece to Russian parents who had fled the Nazi occupation of Europe. The two wed on May 22, 1948 in Garfield, New Jersey and had four children after moving to Howell, New Jersey. Wasil worked throughout his youth in the family soda factory called "Garfield Beverages" before working for the Postal Service, then starting his own sporting goods store, and eventually retired as a machinist. Wasil retired and the family moved to Idaho to join their adult children in 1986. Wasil enjoyed fishing in coastal New Jersey and then in Idaho. He and Tania spent much of their time working around their first home in New Jersey located on a 10-acre wooded property, then built a new home on 20 acres in Sagle. They also collected souvenir bottles and glassware, much of which they would then sell at flea markets, souvenir shows, and on the internet. Wasil was adept at solving problems and used his machinist skills to engineer special machines to clean and restore glassware, split firewood and ease many household tasks. He took special pride in the woodworking he crafted inside their home. Wasil was preceded in death by his parents, Maxim and Sophia Moroz; his son, Maxim Moroz; his daughter, Maria Fedale; and his sister, Nina Carletto. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Tatiana Moroz; his son and daughter-in-law, Peter and Marcia Moroz; his son Paul Moroz; his grandchildren Ryan Moroz and Kym Fedale Franklin; his great granddaughter Indiana Maria Franklin; his sister Lorraine Franklin, brother Milton Moroz and many nieces and nephews primarily in New Jersey and Florida. A viewing and service will be held at Coffelt's Chapel on Division Avenue in Sandpoint on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 1 p.m. Interment will take place 1:00PM. on Monday, Nov. 14, 2011 in the Moscow Cemetery in Moscow, Idaho. The family suggests memorial donations can be made to Disabled American Veterans in your area.