CHARLESTON, Tenn. — Dee Sugalski remembers her Uncle Joey as a nice man who dreamt of being a prize fighter and took her to the ice cream parlor across from his gym in Plymouth, Pa.
   "He was like a peppy guy," she said. "He was good to his nieces and nephew."
   She was 12 years old when 20-year-old Army Sgt. Joseph Lazar left for World War II, where he received two Purple Hearts. He fought in Normandy in 1944 and died later that year.
   Ms. Sugalski learned more about her uncle Saturday when Capt. Lafran Marks delivered Sgt. Lazar’s personal effects, including documents and a dog tag, to the soldier’s oldest survivor.
   "Well, we’ve been looking forward to this for 60 years," said Ms. Sugalski, as Capt. Marks, of the Army’s 3rd Battalion 187 Infantry, walked into the home after a more than 200-mile drive from his station in Fort Campbell, Ky.
   "We’re just glad to get it back to you," said Capt. Marks, adding that the dog tag was only recently discovered, which is why it took many years for a survivor to receive Sgt.
   Lazar’s personal effects.
   Ms. Sugalski and her husband, Leonard, sat at their dining room table with Capt. Marks as he explained the documents, most of which detailed the process of getting Sgt. Lazar’s remains back from France, where he originally was buried, to Plymouth, Pa., where he now lies.
   As they sorted through the documents, they were able to learn more about Sgt. Lazar through photocopies of correspondence that were falling apart.
   Capt. Marks then gave an emotional Ms. Sugalski her uncle’s dog tag. "Wow, that’s amazing," she said, as she examined the piece of metal in her hands.
   Capt. Marks said Army protocol requires military officials to return personal effects to survivors to provide a sense of closure.
   "I’m glad we could add some closure to it," he said. "I’m glad we could get it to you."
   Ms. Sugalski said a militarycontracted genealogist contacted her about two months ago to confirm that she was Sgt. Lazar’s oldest survivor. She said her initial reaction was "total, total shock."
   "When I got the initial call, (I was) thrilled," she said. "I never saw him in uniform. I only saw him when he got drafted."
   As she prepared for Saturday’s delivery, she said she rediscovered a Christmas card that her uncle had sent to her mother in November 1944, just days before he died, and a locket that he gave Ms. Sugalski when she was a child.
   Capt. Marks said he had never delivered personal effects before Saturday’s trip from Fort Campbell.
   "It’s never a joyful time to deliver or to be a casualty assistance guy," he said. "But I’m glad they got to see some closure."
   Ms. Sugalski said she wished the effects had been delivered much sooner, but she was grateful to receive them.
   "That was a long haul, but well worth the wait," she said.
   E-mail Michael Davis at michaeld@timesfreepress.com

This story was published Sunday, September 26, 2004