Apolinary Kotlow

Portsmouth, RI - Apolinary Kotlow, 87, of 25 Wapping Road, Portsmouth, RI, passed away peacefully at home Thursday, February 23, 2012. A devoted father and dedicated soldier, Apolinary was born in Lida, Poland in July 1924. He joined the Polish Underground at age 17 to fight the Nazi invasion of Poland, which initiated World War II. While fighting for the freedom of Poland, he was captured by the Soviet Army and sent to a labor camp. He escaped in 1946 and made his way to Paris, France where he met his future wife, Angele. He joined the US Army in 1954 in Zweibruecken, Germany. Angele joined Apolinary in NYC where they married shortly thereafter. Apolinary started his U.S. military service in the 77th Special Forces Group, then served in several other units before joining 10th Special Forces Group in 1962. He completed three tours in Vietnam as a Special Forces Heavy Weapons NCO. Apolinary continued the rest of his career as a Special Forces Master Sergeant at Ft. Devens, Massachusetts until 1979. After retiring from the Army, Apolinary worked as a mail handler and finally as a security guard. He and Angele moved to Portsmouth, RI in 1994. Apolinary leaves behind his wife Angele, their four children: Stanislaus, Dominik, Urszula, Kazimierz, and five grandchildren.Visiting hours will be on Saturday, February 25, from 9-10am at Memorial Funeral Home 375 Broadway, Newport, RI.Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 10:00am from the Memorial Funeral Home, 375 Broadway, Newport with a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00am in St. Barnabas Church, 1607 East Main Road, Portsmouth, RI.Donations can be sent to Home and Hospice Care of RI, 169 George Street, Pawtucket, RI 02860 or to Fisher House Foundation, Inc., 111 Rockville Pike, Suite 420, Rockville, MD 20850-5168