Stefan Dombrowski Obituary (1963

Carl Stefan Dombrowski (known to his family, friends and colleagues as Stefan) passed away on January 29, 2025, with his family by his side, after an extended illness. He was born on January 19, 1963, in Pittsburgh PA, to Stanley Dombrowski, a violinist with the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra, and Vivienne Dorine (Polson) Dombrowski, a nurse who trained at Middlesex University in London and practiced at University of Pittsburgh Medical Center-Presbyterian Hospital for almost thirty years. Stefan grew up in Export PA with older brother, Jan, and older sister, Nadia, and attended Franklin Regional High School, where he excelled in track and field. Stefan graduated from Princeton University with a Bachelor of Arts from the Woodrow Wilson School of Public Affairs and a Certificate of Proficiency in Near Eastern Studies. He was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship through which he studied Arabic at the University of Jordan the year after graduation. He then studied law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School, carrying out his second year of study at Exeter University in the UK through a Rotary Scholarship, receiving his Juris Doctor degree in 1989. Stefan practiced corporate law in Manhattan for more than twenty years, first with Coudert Brothers and then with Morgan Lewis & Bockius and Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. His areas of expertise included banking, structured finance, and aviation and rail equipment finance - which was no surprise to those who knew of his passion for motor sports and model trains. Stefan's other great love was his family, particularly his wife Anke (Kramer) and their three daughters: Katya, Natasha and Sonya. He and Anke were long-time residents of Glen Ridge NJ, where they were dedicated (and at times loud) supporters of their daughters' activities including soccer, lacrosse, track and field, marching band, orchestra, theater and dance. During his time of declining health, his interest in sports remained undimmed, and he was rooting for his beloved Pittsburgh Steelers to the end. He is survived by his wife Anke; their daughters Dr. Katya Dombrowski and her husband Jameson Pesce of Baltimore MD, Dr. Natasha Dombrowski of Long Island City NY, and Sonya Dombrowski of Hoboken NJ; his siblings and their spouses, Dr. Jan Dombrowski and Kathy Knox Dombrowski of Honeoye Falls NY, and their children Christina, Aleksander, and Lydia, and Nadia Dombrowski and Harry Carrel of Cos Cob CT, and their children Alina and Pascale; his uncle Dr. Alan Polson and his wife, Dr. Anne Polson of Blue Bell PA; and his cousin Glyn Polson and his wife, Kathleen Phelps Polson of Boston MA, and their children Ayla, Eliza, and Kate. The wake will be held on Thursday, February 6 from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Hugh M. Moriarty Funeral Home at 76 Park Street, Montclair NJ. The funeral mass will be held on Friday, February 7 at 1:00 p.m. at St. Cassian's Roman Catholic Church, 187 Bellevue Ave, Upper Montclair NJ, followed by a repast at Fitzgerald's 1928, 13 Herman St, Glen Ridge NJ. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Action Against Hunger in honor of Stefan's commitment to caring for those in need around the world.