Kenneth Poe Funeral Services

November 25, 2021

CHARLOTTE – Dr. Jerzy (George) Spolnicki was born in Stanislowow, Poland on May 10,1939. He passed away Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2021. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Constance Ann Spolnicki and his daughter, Dr. Wanda Spolnicki Robinson, MD. His wife has a Degree from Leed’s College in England in Art and is a retired teacher, artist, and homemaker. His daughter is an Internist who has practiced in Charlotte for 28 years and works for Tryon Medical Partners. His parents were Ludwika and Franciszek Spolnicki. He was an only child. His mother had a Masters Degree in Biology and Chemistry and spoke seven languages, including Latin, fluently. His father was a Judge. Jerzy had a Doctorate in Chemical Engineering.

He and his mother survived a Siberian Concentration Camp in WWII and were refugees in Persia and then in England, where he lived from ages 12 to 24 years. His father was executed as a POW in what is now Kiev, Ukraine, by Stalin, as were many men from Poland. Jerzy went to boarding school in England and then graduated from Birmingham University in England with a PhD in Chemical Engineering. He was recruited to the United States by E.I. DuPont de Nemours in 1963 where he worked as a Senior Research Executive in Fibers and Textiles for 38 years until he retired.

Jerzy was a loving and devoted husband and father. He always put his family first-above and beyond everything else, including himself. He was very generous, and he had a big heart. He also had a wonderful sense of humor and did not mind looking silly if he could make someone laugh or feel better during difficult times.

Travel was his passion and he and his family traveled the world.

Dr. Spolnicki was a brilliant scientist, but he was very humble. He never talked about his work. He developed a way to make Lycra cheaper than any if his competitors worldwide in the 1980s and had projects in Ireland, Scotland, France, Holland, Japan and Brazil. He also worked on a number of projects with MIT. However, he often told people who did not know him at cocktail parties and public events that he did not have a job. Only his coworkers, close friends, and family knew that he was highly intelligent. He did not think it was important.

Jerzy had courage beyond measure. He made it through a Concentration Camp during WWII. He moved to the USA with his wife, Ann, on the QE II the day after Thanksgiving in 1963 to start his first and only job with DuPont. He survived colon cancer in 2005, and then he survived stage IV metastatic melanoma in 2009- with 4 brain tumors and metastases to the lungs, liver, spleen and adrenal glands. He lived in remission from his cancers with good quality of life for 12 years until he passed on Thanksgiving Day, November 25, 2021. He was brave. He was strong-willed. He persevered. He was a survivor. He could walk through fire.

He truly loved Jesus Christ who bestowed upon him many miracles so that he could survive WWII and cancer and live on to have his own family and a wonderful life. We were so blessed to have had him in our lives. He taught us that love was most important, after faith, of course. And time is irreplaceable.

Dr. Wanda Robinson wants to thank her wonderful husband, Randy Robinson, who supported her and her parents through his illness and through his 12 years of life after his diagnosis of metastatic cancer. Without his love and support and prayers, she would never have been able to take care of her parents and her patients.

Dr. Spolnicki’s family wants to thank all of Dr. Robinson’s patients and their families and their churches and Dr. Robinson’s partners and staff and their friends and everyone who prayed for her father and her family including Randy’s family. They know their prayers saved her father’s life. For that they are eternally grateful. He was also grateful. Thank you.

Thank you also to Father Paul Gary for all of his prayers, kindness and care for Dr. Spolnicki.

Thank you also to his physicians who saved his life- over and over again- he loved and adored these men. Thank you to Dr. Peter Copsis (internist), Dr. Anthony Asher (neurosurgeon), Dr. Asim Amin (oncology/immunotherapy), Dr. Steve Putman (neurologist), Dr. Leslie Webster (general surgeon), and Dr. Chris Ferris (gastroenterologist). Without their care and devotion and expertise, he would not have lived until now.

Services will be private.

Memorials may be offered in memory of Dr. Spolnicki to Carolina Neurosurgery & Spine Education & Research Foundation, Attn: Brain Tumor Fund, 225 Baldwin Avenue, Charlotte, NC 28204 or at www.cnsafoundation.org or Atrium Health Foundation, Attn: Melanoma & Immunotherapy Research Fund, 208 East Blvd, Charlotte, NC, 28203 or at www.atriumhealthfoundation.org.

Prayers are always welcome and most appreciated.

Arrangements are in the care of Kenneth W. Poe Funeral & Cremation Service, 1321 Berkeley Ave., Charlotte, NC 28204; (704) 641-7606. Online condolences may be shared at www.kennethpoeservices.com.