BURRITT HILL FUNERAL HOME

Jadwiga Urbaniak, 89, of New Britain, with her family at her side, took the hand of her loving husband, Marian M. Urbaniak as he led her to her heavenly home. She was born on December 29, 1932 in Rowno, Poland to the late Piotr and Kazimiera Pink. Jadwiga married the love of her life on June 16, 1949 and they enjoyed 61 years of happiness together. She retired from Corbin Russwin in 1992 after many years of hard work. Jadwiga was a caring and compassionate person who would do anything for her family, especially her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She is survived by her two daughters; Christine Breski and Irena Markow and her husband Jerry; two wonderful grandchildren, Adam Markow...

Rajmund Ciurzynski, 80, of New Britain, passed away on Friday, April 29, 2022 at his home. He was the loving husband of Zofia (Jagora) Ciurzynski for 55 blissful years. Born in Poland, he was a son of Tadeusz and Regina (Marciniak). Rajmund worked as a machinist for Textron Atlantic Tool in Newington where he retired after many years. He was a member of Holy Cross Church and his faith helped him to be a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather who will be dearly missed. In addition to his beloved wife Zofia, he leaves his two daughters; Kathryn, and Donna and her partner Greg. He also leaves his granddaughter Alycia and several cousins. Rajmund's funeral will begin at 9:00...

Edward P. Orzol, 78, beloved husband of the recently deceased Zofia (Lipka) Orzol, passed away on Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at his home. Edward was born in Poland, on June 29, 1943, to the late Stanislaw and Helena (Gaska) Orzol. Edward was previously employed by Stanley Works in New Britain. He was a master beekeeper and loved being outdoors as much as he could be, and while out, Ed enjoyed mushroom picking. However, the most important thing to Ed was his family. His children and grandchildren were first and foremost in his life. Edward is survived by his sons, John Orzol and his wife Anna, of New Jersey, Richard Orzol of New York, NY, and Mark Orzol and his wife, Dawn of Plainville,...

Cesar Brzezinek, 86, husband of 53 years to Janina Brzezinek; father to Sylvia Myer and Renata Pera; father-in-law to Dr. Edward Myer and Ken Pera; grandfather to Saul Pera, Andrew Myer, and Matthew Myer; brother to Edward Brzezinek and Wladyslawa Rurarz; died on February 13, 2022. Cesar was a Polish citizen and US resident, born in Lierville, France on October 22, 1935. A memory he often shared of his youth was that he remembers the various troops from different countries coming through France during World War II, and he liked the Americans, who gave out packages with various goods at the end of the war. In 1947 he moved back to Poland with his family, where he finished school. He and his...

Leonard E. "Len" Giza, 92, of New Britain, passed peacefully surrounded by family, on Thursday, February 10, 2022. He was the beloved husband of Mabel M. "Mae" (Nicolucci) Giza. Len was born in New Britain on June 13, 1929, to Joseph A. Giza and Anna (Dymkowski) Giza. He was a proud U. S. Air Force veteran and served in the Korean War. Upon his honorable discharge from military service, he began his career in sales for Conn. Spring Co., Bristol, and later for Rowley Spring Co., Bristol, until he retired. After retiring, he spent his time volunteering as chairman of the board of the Monsignor Bojnowski Manor, as a volunteer at the New Britain Industrial Museum, as a Scout leader for Troop...

Leonard E. "Len" Giza, 92, of New Britain, passed peacefully surrounded by family, on Thursday, February 10, 2022. He was the beloved husband of Mabel M. "Mae" (Nicolucci) Giza. Len was born in New Britain on June 13, 1929, to Joseph A. Giza and Anna (Dymkowski) Giza. He was a proud U. S. Air Force veteran and served in the Korean War. Upon his honorable discharge from military service, he began his career in sales for Conn. Spring Co., Bristol, and later for Rowley Spring Co., Bristol, until he retired. After retiring, he spent his time volunteering as chairman of the board of the Monsignor Bojnowski Manor, as a volunteer at the New Britain Industrial Museum, as a Scout leader for Troop...

Jeannette E. (Gingras) Koncewicz, 77, of Newington, passed away on Friday, January 28, 2022 at home. She was the beloved wife of John Koncewicz for 40 years, but were together for 51 years. Jeannette was born and raised in New Britain in the 1940's, and was the youngest child of the late Paul and Lillian (Wolf) Gingras. She moved to Newington in the 1980's. Jeannette was a cautious person. She would always follow a recipe very carefully and regularly have cook-offs in the kitchen with her husband. She was incredibly loving, selfless and wonderfully patient. Always supportive no matter how crazy our ideas were, through her care and kindness, we knew she loved us unconditionally. Known...

Joseph R. Tino, 93, of New Britain, passed away on Saturday, January 15th 2022. To read his full obituary, please visit us at www.duksa.net

Donald G. Erickson "Don", 78, passed away peacefully on Friday, January 14, 2022 at Jerome Home in New Britain. He was a New Britain native and longtime resident. He was very religious, a member of the First Lutheran Church of the Reformation in New Britain, and served as an altar boy in his youth. Don was a Corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps, stationed in multiple locations including Hawaii at the start of the Vietnam War and was honorably discharged in 1964. He was proud of his service, loved America, and was frequently seen wearing his Marine Corps cap. Whenever he saw the U.S. flag he would salute and say, "Semper Fi." Don was a Dept. of Defense purchasing agent for military contracts...

Henry J. Deptula, Jr., 92, of New Britain and formerly a longtime resident of Newington, passed away on Wednesday, January 12,2022 in Naples, Florida. Born on January 3, 1930, in Poland, Henry was the son of the late Henry J. and Helen (Obremski) Deptula, Sr. He was the beloved husband of 50 years to the late Irene (Backiel) Deptula, who predeceased him in 2003. Henry proudly served his country as a member of the US Army during the Korean War. During his career, he owned and operated the Charter Oak Restaurant in Hartford, the Union Restaurant on Park Street in Hartford, and prior to his retirement, he managed the Polish National Home in Hartford for ten years. A man of faith, he was a...

On December 28, 2021, we said goodbye to our beloved Florence Dygus. Please join us as we celebrate her life on Saturday, February 12, 2022, with a visitation from 11:00 am to 12:00 noon. Her funeral service will follow at noon at the Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Newington Memorial, 20 Bonair Ave, Newington. To view the story of her life, please visit www.duksa.net.

Stanislawa (Piotrowska) Prochnicka, 91, of New Britain, died peacefully on Thursday, December 16, 2021, with her family by her side. Her funeral service will begin on Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2021, at 8:45 am at Duksa Family Funeral Homes at Burritt Hill, 332 Burritt St., New Britain, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 9:30 am at Sacred Heart Church. She will be laid to rest beside Waclaw in Sacred Heart Cemetery, New Britain. Relatives and friends are invited to call on Tuesday, Dec. 21, 2021, from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Burritt Hill. To view her complete obituary and to share your sorrow with her family, please visit us at www.duksa.net.

Zbigniew Kilian, 87, of Berlin, beloved husband of Ann (Muzyka) Kilian, passed away on Sunday, December 12, 2021 at his home. Born in Lwow, Poland, he immigrated to the United States as a teenager. He served this country honorably in the US Army, and settled in Berlin. Zbigniew was an electrician by trade, working for Ingersoll Rand (Fafnir) for many years before retiring. He was a long time member of Sacred Heart Church in New Britain. In his retirement, he enjoyed gardening and spending time with his family. Zbigniew was a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather, and will be dearly missed by all who knew him. In addition to his wife, Ann, he was survived by his daughter,...

Eleanor Mae (Watts) Pawelczyk died peacefully in her sleep on October 8, 2021, at the age of 85. She was born on December 23, 1935, in New Britain, Connecticut, to Frederick Northend Watts and Sophie (Makucin). She met her life-long love Henry Joseph Pawelczyk at a Polish Home dance and they were married on September 28, 1957. They had two children, Cheryl Anne McClellan and David Joseph Pawelczyk. Member of Holy Cross Church Mother's Club and past President of Holy Cross Ladies Guild, she enjoyed organizing fund-raisers for sports teams at Holy Cross School. Eleanor was a graduate of New Britain High School and Annhurst College in Woodstock, Connecticut, she was employed as a medical...

Irena (Kapica) Kateusz, 89, of New Britain, loving wife of the late Joseph Kateusz, passed away peacefully on August 21, 2021. She was a caring wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She was born on September 7, 1931, in Poland to the late Ignacy and Ignacja (Kasperek) Kapica, and is predeceased by her two brothers, Czeslaw and Wieslaw. She came to America in 1965 and lived in New Britain for the remainder of her life. She loved to cook pierogi and made them every Christmas and for every family event. She enjoyed spending time with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren and was very proud of all their accomplishments. She leaves behind her son George Iskra and his...

Czeslaw Brzostek, 79, a beloved husband, loving dad, adoring grandfather obtained his angel wings on June 22, 2021. Born on March 4, 1942 in Poland to Wladyslaw and Helena (Deptula) Brzostek, he lost his mother at a very young age and still grew into one of the kindest, loving, sweetest men that this world has ever known. In his younger years, he served in the Polish army. On weekends, while still in Poland, he would bring his accordion and play it for peoples' weddings. Dad was an expert on the accordion, learning from his dad, but he could pick up a harmonica or play an organ just by finding the right notes. Not only could he play the instruments, but was a great dancer as well, when a...

It is with our deepest sorrow to announce that Janina Bacal, 90, passed in peace on June 2, 2021, with her loving family by her side. Born to Jozef and Anna (Wozniak) Socha in Poland on April 21, 1931, Janina was predeceased by her adored husband, Krystyn Bacal, with whom she lived in New Britain for over 55 years. She is survived by their two daughters Henryka Dworak and her husband Robert, and Marianna Kolodziej and her husband Waldek. Janina also leaves behind five grandchildren and six great grandchildren and will forever remain as their beloved Babcia. Janina was a devoted matriarch to her family and enjoyed nothing more than spending time with everyone and watching her grandchildren...

Danuta ( Lukasik) Polkowska, 62, of New Britain, died unexpectedly and peacefully Sunday, May 16, 2021.She was born and raised in Poland and moved to the USA in 2001. Danuta was a member of Sacred Heart Church, New Britain and loved to spend time gardening and with her grandchildren as well as her beloved dog "Czarus". She leaves her three sons and their spouses, Krzysztof and Aneta of Farmington, Zbigniew and Monika of Plainville and Adam and Izabela of Wolcott, and her six grandchildren, Sebastian, Patryk, Victoria, Daniel, Julia and David. She also leaves three brothers and a sister along with many nieces and nephews in Poland. She will be deeply missed by her niece Anna (Lukasik)...

Lifelong resident of New Britain, Dolores (Rawa) Falconeri, 73, passed away peacefully on May 11, 2021 at Hartford Hospital. Dolores was predeceased by her beloved husband of over 40 years, Michael J. Falconeri and her parents Frank and Aldona (Yesinsky) Rawa. She is survived by her brother Richard Rawa, her sister Phyllis Belle, Goddaughter Shachine Belle, Godson Shane Redfield, sisters-in-law Rena Redfield, Lynn Aguero and her husband Efrain, Christine Biske and her husband Steven, mother-in-law Yvette Falconeri, cousins, friends and numerous nieces and nephews. Family and friends will remember her as a UConn Women's Basketball fan, cat lover, movie aficionado, knitter extraordinaire, avid...

Irene (Kotas) Opalenski, 94, of New Britain, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, May 4, 2021. She was the beloved wife of the late Walter Opalenski. Daughter of the late Stanley Kotas and Sophie (David) Kotas Tomczak, she was a lifelong resident of New Britain and a parishioner of Holy Cross Church. She leaves her nephews, Richard Markiewicz of Houston TX, Robert Markiewicz of Woodstock, NY and Philip Opalenski of Providence RI, and many great nieces and nephews. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, May 14th at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Cross Church, 31 Biruta St., New Britain. She will be laid to rest beside her husband in Sacred Heart Cemetery, New Britain. Duksa Family Funeral Homes...

Richard A. Martin, of Old Saybrook, loving husband of Peggy (Baclawski) Martin went home to be with his Lord and Savior Thursday, April 15 at THOCC New Britain campus, with his daughters by his side. Richard was born in Madawaska Maine on November 4, 1937 to the late Armand and Lucy (Morin) Martin. He grew up in Elmwood, CT and graduated from Hall High School Class of 55. Following his graduation Richard enlisted in the United States Air Force as a Tactical Aircraft Maintenance Specialist. He treasured the time spent serving his country and had a special affinity for the military and veterans. Richard and Peggy were married for 58 years and raised their children in Berlin, CT where they...