Obituary of Chester S. Stachelek

With heartfelt sadness we announce the passing of our husband, father, grandfather, family member, and friend, Chester Stanley Stachelek, 82, of Kensington. The beloved husband of Genevieve Theresa (Zaniewski) Stachelek for 59 ½ years, Chester went to Our Lord after a brief illness on December 7, 2012 at the Hospital of Central Connecticut, New Britain, with his loving family by his side. Chester was born in New Britain, the son of Stanislaw and Rozalja (Sokolowski) Stachelek. A former parishioner of Sacred Heart Church and Holy Cross Church, he attended New Britain schools. He served in the U.S. Army, during the Korean Conflict and later joined the New Britain Fire Department, retiring after thirty years as a Lieutenant. Also a self-employed house builder who built many New Britain and Berlin area homes, Chester loved working with wood and built many beautiful pieces of furniture and décor for his family. An avid New England Patriots and Boston Red Sox fan, he especially loved cooking, history and politics, and dancing polkas in his younger years. Chester lived in the New Britain-Kensington area his entire life and was a member of St. Paul Church, Kensington for over 40 years. A man deeply devoted to his family, Chester is survived by his loving wife Genevieve (Zaniewski) Stachelek; his beloved daughter Deborah (Stachelek) Sanders and son-in-law Douglas Sanders, and his beloved son Stephen Stachelek and daughter-in-law Donna Stachelek. He also leaves his four treasured grandchildren, the joys of his life: Jonathan Stachelek, Lauren Sanders and her fiancé Timothy Rivera-Myers, James Stachelek, and Melissa Sanders. He also leaves his sister Helen Beaulieu, his sister-in-law Helen Grady, his cousin Veronica Bielewicz, and so many beloved family members and good friends. Chester was predeceased by his father and mother Stanislaw and Rozalja (Sokolowski) Stachelek, his infant brother Adam Stachelek, his two infant sisters Eve Stachelek and Pauline Stachelek, his brothers-in-law Sylvio Beaulieu and William Grady, and his aunt and uncle Marjorie and Stasiu Koncewicz. The family thanks the Hospital of Central Connecticut Critical Care Staff for their loving and kind medical treatment of Chester in his final weeks. Funeral services will be held Thursday (Dec. 13, 2012) 9:00 A.M. from the Farrell Funeral Home, 110 Franklin Sq., New Britain, with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 A.M. at St. Paul Church, Kensington. Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery, New Britain. Visitation will be Wednesday (December 12, 2012) from 4:00 to 7:00 P.M. at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Chester's parish, St. Paul Church, 479 Alling St., Kensington, CT 06037 or to his favorite charity that always supported the firefighters, the Salvation Army, 78 Franklin Square, New Britain, CT 06051. Because we wish to honor Chet with his favorite color, all are invited to wear something red to the wake and funeral.