Michael P. Wirzbicki Sr.

Michael P. Wirzbicki Sr., 89, of Gardner, died peacefully on March 9, 2026, at UMass Memorial HealthAlliance-Clinton Hospital in Leominster, surrounded by his loving family after an illness.

Born in Gardner on February 17, 1937, he was the son of the late Edward J. and Mary A. (Gorska) Wierzbicki. Michael served in the United States Air Force from 1955 to 1958, where he earned his High School Equivalency Degree and received the Good Conduct Medal. A skilled technician with a keen interest in electronics, he enjoyed a long career at MIT Lincoln Laboratory on Hanscom Air Force Base. Among his proudest accomplishments was his involvement in several satellite launches at NASA in Florida that supported critical national security systems.

A devoted parishioner of Annunciation Parish in Gardner and formerly Holy Spirit Church, Michael was also a past member of the Elks and the Gardner Fish and Gun Club. He found deep satisfaction in the outdoors, tending his gardens, fishing, hunting, and leading his family on many camping trips throughout New England. In later years, he and his wife Virginia traveled often to the Northwest to visit family and explore the region. Above all, Michael cherished his role as a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather. He rarely missed a grandchild’s or great-grandchild’s school or sporting event, and the time spent with his family created a lifetime of treasured memories.

He is survived by his beloved wife, Virginia E. (Carlson) Wirzbicki of Gardner; four sons, Michael P. Wirzbicki Jr. and his wife Cecelia of Gardner, Mark A. Wirzbicki and his wife Michelle of Gardner, Brian W. Wirzbicki and his wife Susie of Olympia, Washington, and David P. Wirzbicki and his wife Zulmira of Gardner; a daughter, Linda M. Moran and her husband John of Gardner; ten grandchildren; ten great-grandchildren; a brother, Joseph Wierzbicki of Indiana; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was predeceased by two brothers, Edward Wierzbicki Jr. and George Wierzbicki, and a sister, Sabina Evans.