Chester T. "Chet" Babiarz Sr.

Chester T. "Chet" Babiarz Sr., 95, of Colchester, Vermont, and a longtime resident of Windsor Locks, passed away Oct. 7, 2015, in Colchester. He was the loving husband of 69 years - 20 days short of 70 years - to Marian (Schianca) Babiarz.

Chet was born Sept. 5, 1920, in Windsor Locks, the son of the late Joseph and Mary (Grela) Babiarz. Following graduation from Windsor Locks High School in 1938, and after training as a draftsman at Manchester Trade School, he worked creating mechanical designs at Hartford Special Machinery Company in Hartford. Chet proudly served in the U.S. Navy during World War II, as a quartermaster aboard the destroyer/mine-sweeper USS Farragut in the Pacific. Honorably discharged after the war, he rejoined Hartford Special Machinery, and graduated cum laude from Western New England College with degrees in business administration and mechanical engineering. After over four decades as a precision engineer, Chet retired in 1983.

He loved woodworking and spent countless hours building, restoring, and refinishing antique furniture, taking great pride in the precision of his workmanship. Each year, when the weather warmed up, Chet worked tirelessly in his yard, planting, grafting, and cultivating trees and plants. In 2008 Chet and Marian moved to Colchester.

In addition to his wife, he is also survived by three children, Chet Babiarz Jr. and his wife, Nancy, of Rocky Hill, Drs. Paula Babiarz Tracy and her husband, Russell, of Colchester, and Johnna Babiarz Beach and her husband, Thomas, of Ormond Beach, Florida; four grandchildren, Thomas Babiarz and his fiancée, Amanda Wood, Laura Babiarz and her husband, Benoit Dusablon, Sarah Tracy Daymon, and Patrick Tracy; two loving great-grandchildren, Jayden and Mayva Dusablon; and several nieces and nephews. Chet was predeceased by three brothers, Edward, John, and Stanley Babiarz.

There are no calling hours.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Saturday, Dec. 5, at 10 a.m., at St. Mary Church, 42 Spring St., Windsor Locks. Please meet at the church. Burial with military honors will follow in Grove Cemetery in Windsor Locks.

In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made in Chet's name to Sticks for Soldiers Inc., P.O. Box 475, Fairfield, CT 06824.

Windsor Locks Funeral Home is assisting Chet's family with funeral arrangements.

For online condolences, visit

www.windsorlocksfuneralhome.com