James F. Nowicki, '66 - 1937-2007

The Honorable James F. Nowicki died on Friday evening August 10, 2007 at Henry Ford-Macomb Hospital of a stroke.  Judge Nowicki was born in Hamtramck June 30, 1937, the third child of William and Helen Nowicki.  His father served as police chief of Hamtramck and was later appointed United States Marshall for southern Michigan.  He grew up on Evaline Street and lived there until his marriage to Carol Haske on October 28, 1967.  He attended St. Florian Elementary School and St. Florian High School from which he graduated in 1955. 

Jim Nowicki received a Bachelor of Philosophy from the University of Detroit and in 1966 he graduated from the university’s law school.  He served as assistant city attorney for the city of Hamtramck and later as a legislative analyst for the State Legislature.  Governor Milliken appointed him to the Probate Court bench in 1976 to fill out an unexpired term .  Subsequently, he continued to win re-election until his retirement in 2003.  During his tenure he served as Chief Justice of the Macomb Probate Court.

As a jurist, he was highly respected by his peers and the lawyers who appeared before him.  He had, as one of his colleagues remarked, “a superb judicial temperament”.  He was always well prepared and open to argument, but above all he sought to do justice in the broadest meaning of the word.  Judge Nowicki is also remembered as unfailing, kind and respectful even in the most trying circumstances.  He had a deep affection for children and was always mindful of their welfare in all cases that appeared before him. 

James Nowicki was very proud of his Polish ancestry and read widely in Polish history and culture.  While in his twenties, he took a solo trip to Poland.  He returned with his love of Poland reinforced, but with a profound aversion for the communist system which oppressed the land of his ancestors.  He visited Poland again just before the fall of Communism in 1988.  Having lived more than 30 years of his life in the city, Jim Nowicki always had a deep affection for Hamtramck.  The Judge was also a member of the Dekaban Foundation Committee of the Piast Institute, a National institute for polish and Polish American affairs, which manages three exchange programs for young Polish faculty members at the Universities of Michigan, British Columbia in Canada and Glasgow in the United Kingdom.

He was a faithful supporter of Orchard Lake Schools and rarely missed a Founders’ Day Celebration.  He served on the Board of Regents of the Orchard Lake Schools and was a member of the Board of Directors of Saint Mary’s College.  He was also a member of J.W. Smith Old-Timers Club and the American-Polish Century Club.

He had a great love of sports and camping and was an avid Detroit Lions fan.  Judge Nowicki served as a director of the Boy Scouts of America and was honored by the organization with its Distinguished Citizen Award.

James Nowicki leaves, in addition to his wife Carol, two sons: John (Kimberly) and Michael (Julie), two grandchildren: Hailey and Riley, and a sister Josephine (Joe) Wisz and brother Quentin “Buzz” (Marie) and nieces and nephews.  He will also be profoundly missed by all of his many friends and colleagues who will never forget his humor, generosity of spirit and loyalty.

The funeral mass was held at Saint Michael’s Church in Sterling Heights on Tuesday, August 14th.  Contributions are preferred to the John W. Smith Old-Timers Club, 21841 Dequindre, Hazel Park, 48030 to establish the Honorable James F. Nowicki Scholarship Fund.