Paul “Papa” Drensek
Paul Drensek, 84, a long-time resident of Pawling, passed away Saturday, December 17, 2016 at NYU Langone Medical Center, Manhattan.
Born on January 25, 1932 in Turau/Turowen, East Prussia, Germany, he was the son of the late Rudolph and Marie (Bukowski) Drensek. Paul emigrated to the United States in 1950 and was drafted into the US Army in 1952, serving until 1979, first in the regular army and then the army reserve, belonging to the 11th Special Forces Group – Airborne, serving in the Green Berets. On April 20, 1958 he married Helga Lindig in the Bronx; she predeceased him on May 20, 2012.
Paul worked as a brick layer in NYC for Local 55 and later at Lincoln Hall in Lincolndale, NY before retiring.
He enjoyed vegetable gardening, and was a member of the Lutheran Church of Christ the King, the Hasler-Kamp Post American Legion where he had served as Historian, and was active in the County Legion. He was also a member of the Pawling Pistol Club and Boy Scout Troop 88.
He is survived by his sons Robert and Paul (Tina), his daughter Krista; and five grandchildren, Catherine, Paul, and Christopher Drensek and Samantha and Alyssa Savarese.
In addition to his wife, Helga, he is also predeceased by his younger sister, Hannah Gerhard, who passed away in 1985 and his older sister, Katharina Drensek, who passed away in 2014.
Family and friends may call at the Horn & Thomes, Inc. Funeral Home, 83 East Main Street, Pawling, Tuesday, December 27th 2-4 and 7-9 PM. The American Legion will conduct a service at 7 PM. A funeral service will be conducted at the Lutheran Church of Christ the King, Pawling, Wednesday at 11 AM. Burial is private.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Memory of Paul may be made to the Pawling Resource Center, 126 East Main Street, Pawling, NY 12564.
Pawling, New York, Home Town Heroes Banners. Papa Drensek’s kids, Robert, Paul and Krista procured a banner for Paul. It went up 17 May 2023.
