Obituary of Alexander Semitschew
Alexander Semitschew, 81, passed away on Friday, July 19, 2024, at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, NJ.
Alexander was born in Arrlow, Russia, to the late Kosmo and Warwarwa Semitschew. Towards the end of World War II, when the Russian, American, and British armies joined forces in Moscow, one-year-old Alexander and his family left the Soviet Union to immigrate to the US. The Semitschew family followed the United States Military across Europe for seven years, before reaching the United States aboard the USS General C.H. Muir.
The Semitschew family briefly lived in Vineland, NJ, before settling in South Plainfield, where Alexander lived ever since. In 1962, he enlisted in the United States Army, where he served as a Private First Class in the Infantry for the 101st Airborne where he earned a Parachutist Badge, Sharpshooter Badge, and a 1st Class Gunner Badge before his honorable discharge in 1965.
Alexander went on to take various trade courses, where he developed a passion for working with his hands. In his younger years, Alexander enjoyed working on cars but made a career out of working on houses. For most of his life, he was a self-employed contractor taking on jobs big and small - everything from full kitchen renovations to hanging shelves.
Alexander was always happy to help those around him. If you asked, he was there to help. It was in helping his friends and family that he managed to earn the nickname “Sparky,” because they all knew he was no stranger to electrical shocks from time to time.
Outside of work, Alexander was a member of the South Plainfield Senior Center, enjoyed reading and movies, and continued to build his passion for tinkering and learning how things worked. He was a lifetime learner who could fix just about anything. Over the years he built collections of wooden toys and doll houses, and even once built a canoe.
Alexander will be remembered for his hardworking nature, his loyalty to those around him, and his willingness to always help, no matter what you needed. A quiet person, those closest to him grew to appreciate his special sense of humor.
Predeceased by his son, Daniel E. Semitschew; and siblings, Peter Semitschew and Valentine Semitschew Dibble, Alexander will be missed by his daughter Sharon B. Smith and her husband Paul Pineiro. He will also be missed by his sister Helen Semitschew Haines; his many nieces and nephews; and a host of extended relatives and friends.
A visitation will be held at the South Plainfield Funeral Home, 2456 Plainfield Avenue, South Plainfield, NJ, on Wednesday, July 24, 2024, from 3 PM to 7 PM.
Funeral services will begin in the funeral home at 6:30 PM on Wednesday, July 24, 2024.
In lieu of flowers, the Semitschew family has requested that donations be made to the American Heart Association or the American Diabetes Association, in Alexander’s name.