Edmund Joseph Pavlak Jr.

The Pavlak family is saddened to announce that Edmund Joseph Pavlak Jr. passed away on April 15, 2026, in Punta Gorda, Florida.

Edmund was a proud Long Islander whose life was shaped by the water and the community around him. He was born and raised in Westhampton, NY. He visited the ocean and bay almost daily, “just to make sure they were still there.” He spent years kayaking the Great South Bay and the Long Island Sound. He kept both chronological time and tidal time with a tide clock on his bureau. Ed also enjoyed walking and, for the last 10 years, walked 5 miles daily through the neighborhoods of Speonk, Remsenburg, and Westhampton, New York.

Edmund was born to Edmund Joseph Pavlak Sr. and Katherine Pavlak (née King) on September 4, 1941. He attended a two-room schoolhouse until 6th grade, then transferred to Westhampton Beach Junior High and then high school.

Ed joined the Navy straight out of high school. In his first years of service, he was a crew member aboard the USS Observation Island, a surface ship stationed at Cape Canaveral, where he was part of the crew to launch the first Polaris Missile. The second half of his service he served on a nuclear submarine stationed in Hawaii. At discharge he was a Petty Officer and Fire Control Technician Grade 2, and he continued to stay in touch with his Navy buddies until his passing.

Once out of the Navy, Ed returned to Long Island and obtained a Master’s in Social Work. He spent 30 years working for Child Protective Services in Suffolk County, NY. He also turned his love of the water into a job, spending many years clamming on Moriches Bay.

Ed enjoyed traveling and spent his retirement years wintering in warmer climates with his life partner and friend, Janet Gabriel, including epic trips to Florida, California, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, Costa Rica, and Australia, as well as shorter adventures to many European countries. He visited all 50 states.

Ed's other passions included studying the stock market, an interest he shared with his grandsons. He was also fascinated by space exploration and watched several space launches on site from Cape Canaveral, FL. Ed always loved to buy a lottery ticket.

Edmund is survived by his partner Janet Gabriel and children Kathy Kraner (Tyrone Davis), Susan Borsella (the late Greg Borsella), Joe Pavlak (Linda), and Aimee Lunden (Eric). He is also survived by his ten grandchildren, Christopher, Rebecca and Kayla Pavlak, Harrison and Kathryn Lunden, Tom Burns, Caitlin Parillo, Allison Burns, and Ethan and Anna Pavlak. In addition, Ed was thrilled by the arrival of his first great-grandchild, Antonio Parillo. He is predeceased by his youngest son Eric Pavlak and is also remembered by Eric’s wife, Jeannine. He was predeceased by his sister Maureen Pollack and is survived by his sisters Judy Kane (James), Ann (Cathy) Pavlak, and Christine Washick. He will be missed by his entire family.

The family will have a private service. The burial will be at Mount Pleasant Cemetery, Montauk Hwy in Center Moriches at noon on Monday April 20th. At the request of Ed himself, a celebration of life will be held in his honor at the VFW Post 414 Hall, 437 Montauk Hwy, Center Moriches, NY at 2:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, Ed requested donations to Smile Train in his name (PO Box 96321, Washington DC, 20090-6231 or SmileTrain.org). It was a cause close to his heart. This organization performs surgeries for children with cleft lip and palate in impoverished nations at no charge to families.