Chester Zmijewski, 84, professor

Chester M. Zmijewski, 84, of Voorhees, who retired in 1996 as a professor of pathology and laboratory medicine at the medical school of the University of Pennsylvania, had a special interest in Christmas decorations.

Not just a December interest. At his home, son Christopher said, "he had hundreds" of Santa Claus figures "displayed throughout the house, year-round."

That matched his interest in toy trains.

"He had collected over 1,000 trains," not on layouts, but set out individually, many of them, "throughout his entire home."

His father and mother, Helen, "loved Christmas," Christopher said. "It was a big part of their lives."

On Monday, Aug. 15, Mr. Zmijewski died of kidney failure at home.

Born in Buffalo, N.Y., Mr. Zmijewski earned a bachelor's in biology, a master's in bacteriology and immunology and a doctorate in immunology, all at what is now the State University of New York at Buffalo. He began his career "in charge of the blood bank at the Hospital of the University of Virginia," his son said.

Mr. Zmijewski began to make his mark from 1963 to 1970 at Duke University, his son said, where he received a grant from the National Institutes of Health "to expand a research center on studying the scientific analysis of immunology."

His father was a "pioneer of understanding the science and biology" of organ transplanting, Christopher Zmijewski said. And at one point, "he formed a workshop of immunologists across the world to develop the standardization" for testing tissues in transplant patients.

From 1970 to 1975, Mr. Zmijewski was director of research for the former Ortho Pharmaceutical in Raritan, N.J. He joined Penn in 1975 and, during his career there, "developed the immunology section" of the William Pepper Laboratory of Clinical Medicine.

Besides his wife and son Christopher, Mr. Zmijewski is survived by his three other sons, Michael, Robert and David; nine grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Viewings were set from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, Aug. 19, at the Healey Funeral Home, 1816 Berlin Rd., Cherry Hill, and from 10 to 10:45 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 20 at Holy Eucharist Church, 344 Kresson Rd., Cherry Hill, before an 11 a.m. Funeral Mass there.

Donations may be sent to www.samaritannj.org.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.healeyfuneralhomes.com.

wnaedele@phillynews.com 610-313-8134 @WNaedele