John E. Cyrulik, Sr., 104, of Middletown, beloved husband of the late Wladyslawa "Lottie" (Kowalczyk) Cyrulik, passed away peacefully on Friday January 13, 2023 at Portland Care and Rehabilitation Centre. He was born December 10, 1918 in Middletown, one of 11 children of the late Waclaw and Pauline (Bys) Cyrulik. John and all of his siblings were born in their 4-room home on Butternut Street. As a child John earned money to help his family by picking tobacco for 50 cents per day, clearing weeds at Wilcox & Crittenden Factory for 15 cents per hour and cutting grass for 30 cents per hour. John left school at age 16 to help support his siblings. At that time schools issued working papers which allowed students to leave school and take jobs. At 17 John got his first big job at the I.E. Palmer Company.