Jan Suchta

Jan Suchta of Riverhead passed away on Saturday, July 25, 2026 at home with his family. He was 96 years old. 

Born in Terebejno, Poland in 1929, he was the son of Maria (Szabunia) and Michał Suchta. During the WWII German Occupation of Poland he was separated from his family as a young teenager, and taken to a Forced Labor Camp in Northern Germany. After the war they were finally reunited.

Jan and his family emigrated to New York in 1963 where he worked as a landscaper. He was extremely talented in topiary and he was mentioned in a NYT article and his work was featured in a home design magazine. What he enjoyed the most was being outside; gardening, bee keeping, making homemade wine and being with family.

He is predeceased by his wife Jadwiga and his son Vincent (Irene). He is survived by his daughter Teresa Suchta-Swift (Owen) and his brothers in Poland Wacław (Czesława) and Stanisław (Ludmila) and his grandchildren Emily Suchta, Michael and Catie Swift. 

A wake will be held at McLaughlin Heppner Funeral Home on July 31 from 5 to 8 p.m. and a funeral mass will be held Aug. 1 at St Isidores RC Church in Riverhead at 9:30 a.m. 

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