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Walter Hrozenchik Obituary
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Memories and Condolences
for Walter Hrozenchik
Duste Dunn
January 25, 2022
Gone but never forgotten. We miss you Walter. Your legacy lives on. Your friends at CT Citizen Action Group,
Alice Robinson
March 10, 2012
That you for the opportunity to learn about this outstanding man. I did not know him but that does not diminish my admiration. I add my appreciation for Walter, the veteran, the activist, for standing up for peace and humanity in the many ways he did. Truly a light in the darkness. My condolences to his family and friends.
(c) Ken Cornet
Jos A. Mustich
March 10, 2012
To Walter's family,
Walt was one of our heros, who will always inspire us!
Walt, thank you for defying silence!
Always, Joe & Ken
Joe Mustich, & Ken Cornet
Washington, CT USA
Robert Chapman
March 9, 2012
Walter sounded like a great man who cared about people and the injustices in the world. I'm sure his influence on the younger group will be good for the Peace Movement.
Nanci Hutson
February 22, 2012
His candle of peace never dimmed
On a freezing, snow-bitten night the mid-1980s, a humble man of peace stood on the steps of the Ridgefield Town Hall with a single candle flickering in the dark.
He stood alone; the bitter night too much for even the most devout of protestors. Yet Walter Hrozenchik, who died Sunday just weeks before his 81st birthday, stood his ground.
A U.S. Navy veteran during the Korean conflict, Hrozenchik visited Hiroshima. The devastation from the atomic bombing of that city planted in him a need to ensure that nothing like that would ever again occur in history.
In the 1980s, the engineer and family man founded a local branch of Veterans for Peace and for the next 30 years continually participated in area anti-nuclear and anti-war vigils.
But his heart for peace did not only focus on halting war. In his elder years, he focused on peace through care of the environment, even becoming a vegetarian.
He favored social justice for all, but did more than talk about it. He took action. He donated his time for a variety of endeavors meant to make the world a better place.
Not everyone appreciated Hrozenchik's point of view, nor did they always embrace his peaceful protests. But he lived a life of conviction, a role model for his own children and those of many others.
Whether or not people embraced his issues, he believed it was important to stand by your beliefs and do what you can to make a difference.
And I believe he did. I feel privileged to have known him; his son, Bruce, was a colleague and a friend who is now a teacher.
He made his life matter; may he now rest in peace.
Andrew Ziegler
February 14, 2012
I knew Walter through anti-war rallys and vigils in New Milford, Danbury, NYC and DC. We have lost a sentinel for peace who seemed to always be there with his sign regardless of the conditions. May he rest in peace and continue to inspire thoughtful activism in youth as he did while he was here on earth...
Standees for Peace honoring Walter Hrozenchik
February 13, 2012
February 13, 2012
STANDEES FOR PEACE PAY HOMAGE TO
WALTER HROZENCHIK
On Saturday, February 4 the, Standees for Peace marked the 5th anniversary of 260 consecutive Saturday Vigils and paid tribute to Walter Hrozenchik, a well known peace activist who passed away on January 29 this year.
The group has been standing in front of the War Memorial every Saturday since for the last five years urging an end to wars and giving peace a chance.
On Saturday about 20 people turned up and stood at their usual place from 10.30 am to noon, holding signs with various messages, including ‘War would end if the dead could return', “Afghanistan – 720 million every day', ‘Grannies for peace', ‘War is costly'.
To pay tribute to Walter, two of the Standees held up signs that read ‘Walter Hrozenchik a Vetran for Peace' and ‘Remember Walter and his legacy of PEACE'.
They stood against a backdrop of a large blue banner stretching about 20 feet that said ‘ALL WE ARE SAYING IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE'
Among those preent at the event was Lynn Taborsak.
Later the group went to the Irish Club and hoisted a toast to Walter
Gulamhusein
February 11, 2012
A TRIBUTE TO WALTER
Walter
What a man!
A giant of a man.
He had opinions. Many opinions. Strong opinions. And even stronger convictions.
That is not very noteworthy. All of us have many strong convictions. But what distinguished Walter was that he did not hold these to himself. He did not hide them.
No Sir. He took the opposite route. The Road less travelled.
He wanted the whole world to know his convictions. He wanted to shout them from rooftops as it were. He reduced them to compelling sentences. Put each of them on signs. Then held up the signs, mostly in front of the Danbury Public Library, corner of West and Main.
It did not matter if it was raining or snowing or bitterly cold.
There he was, regularly. Sometimes with others who supported him. Sometime with just two or three. Many are the times when Walter and I stood alone there. And there were times when he stood there all by himself!
Protesting against wars when the US was in the midst of a war, or was planning one, was not exactly a popular stance to take. Many cars passing by hooted their horns and gave him a big thumbs down. Others went further and gave him the finger. Obscenities were hurled at him. He was even called a traitor. He did not let any of this faze him a bit. Not even an attempt by a motorist run us down!
He stood there as firm as a rock. And returned the next time with more signs and fliers!
This was not enough for him. He wanted to reach a wider audience. So he took advantage of the Public Access Channel and production facilities provided by Comcast.
In 1987 he started producing and airing every week a 30 minute program, Earth Matters, during prime time, on Chanel 23.
Even this was not enough. He put together a network and soon Earth Matters was being aired in all of Connecticut and beyond through cable companies that operated in those areas!
I had the privilege of helping him produce and air those shows, many of them live. They were strong shows. On Iraq. On Israel-Palestinian conflict and other explosive subjects.
Way back, when hardly anyone talked about it, he aired shows about the Indian Point Nuclear Power Plant at Buchanan, NY, within a 25 mile radius of which Danbury falls. He pointed out the dangers it posed, how dilapidated it was, how lax the security. He pointed out the string of accidents and mishaps since its beginnings, and that it has appeared on the federal list of the nation's worst nuclear power plants.
He was particularly disturbed by the 1967 attack on USS Liberty, a lightly armed surveillance ship, while it was in international waters off the coast of Gaza during the Israeli Six Day War with Egypt and Jordan over Palestinian territory.
He aired on Earth Matters the video that claimed the Israelis attacked it knowingly and deliberately and tried to sink it even though it knew it belonged to its ally, the USA and even though it was in international waters.
Walter, himself a war veteran, was appalled that the US tried to cover it up though 34 US sailors had been killed and 174 injured, many badly.
He was infuriated by the fact that, in the face of evidence to the contrary, the US Navy put out a report exonerating Israel and stating that the attack was accidental;infuriated by the fact that instead of treating the survivors of the attack as heroes, they were treated shabbily, their bravery and devotion to duty unrecognized for years.
William McGonagle, the commander of USS Liberty at the time of the Israel attack, received a Medal of Honor but not at the hands of the President, as would have been done normally, nor at the Whitehouse, as is normal, but from the Secretary of the Navy in a Washington Navy Yard, in an unpublicized ceremony.
Walter referred to this incident again and again and he became very emotional and angry whenever he spoke about it. I would be doing him a great injustice if I did not mention this today.
It should not be imagined for a moment that, notwithstanding his opposition to wars and violence, he was a limp pacifist. He had a temper, and what a temper it was. He could, and did give a withering tongue lashing to anyone when the occasion demanded it. Even I was at the receiving end once – I must hasten to add, for no fault of mine.
It had become known that I had met Gandhi and had shaken hands with him. Some of the activists, in introducing me, did so by mentioning this fact by way of introduction. This irritated Walter. He felt that one should not live off the coat tails of a prominent person. Of course, I felt the same and was not too happy at being introduced in this manner. I wanted to be respected for my own deeds rather than being condemned to live under the shadow of Gandhi, even though he was a great soul and I revered him.
On one such occasion, hearing this introduction for the umpteenth time, Walter could not help himself. “A Gandhi you are not” he boomed across the room. There were many raised eyebrows in the room!
That was the only time he showed any anger towards me.
He was a very good friend of mine. I loved him and Idolized him. Even today I do. And will continue to do so till the day I too go to join him in the yonder.
Cecilia Cook
February 10, 2012
Fond memories of Walter at Nash Engineering as he came around, with a twinkle in his eys, to collect for the Christian Children Fund. I now think of him every time I see the CCF advert on TV. Condolences to his Family...You are all in my prayers.
Duste Dunn
February 9, 2012
I will always remember Walter for showing up at every demonstration with his anti Indian Point picket signs....no matter what the action was about. He will be missed by his friends at Ct Citizen Action Group. Duste Dunn
February 6, 2012
Bruce and family. I am so sorry for your loss.
Maria Antonucci
RHS 1981
A Garteful American
February 6, 2012
A true hero who served his country and made a difference. Thank you for all you have accomplished and contributed to make this a great nation.
January 31, 2012
fare thee well friend.
January 31, 2012
This group will miss Walter terribly: Danbury Peace Coalition. Walter had a way with young people. He inspired them. In this phto to Walter's right is Chris Graffa and to his left is Chris Towne
Gulamhusein Abba
January 31, 2012
Peace activist beyond compare
Walter was the father of the antiwar, peace movement in Danbury. Many are the evenings he and I stood in front of the Danbury Public Library bearing signs against war in general and wars that were on currently or being planned. It did not matter whether it was snowing or raining or bitter cold. It did not matter if the popular sentiment was against him. He stood there with his signs and fliers. Sometimes accompanied by others, Sometimes all by himself.
He was my idol and a very good friend. He will be missed not only by me and those who worked with him but by the entire peace and justice community in Danbury.
My only consolation is that at 83 and in not too good health myself, I might join him soon!
My sincere and heartfelt condolences to the family.
Farewell my friend.
Gulamhusein A. Abba
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