Stanley Robert Kokoska

KOKOSKA, Stanley R. Stanley R. Kokoska, 86, of Mansfield Ave., Willimantic, beloved husband of Carolyn (McKeon) Kokoska, died Thursday, December 21, 2017 at the Avon Health Center in Avon. He was born in Meriden, the son of the late Stanley and Sophie (Skrzyniarz) Kokoszka. Stan grew up in foster homes in New Haven and West Haven and attended West Haven High School. He served in the US Army in the Korean Conflict with the rank of Second Lieutenant and was awarded the Bronze Star. He had a B.S. from UConn, an M.S. in Physics from Renssalaer, and taught at Windham Regional Technical School in Willimantic for a decade before becoming a developer and administrator of vocational education programs with the State Department of Education. He served a term as Mayor of Willimantic from 1966-1968 and was also a principal of A.I. Prince Technical School in Hartford in the 1970's. He was active in Polish American organizations in the state and belonged to the Polish National Home in Hartford. Beginning in the 1980's he began organizing youth baseball leagues in Poland and was a founding member of the Polish National Youth Baseball Foundation, which he considered his most satisfying personal achievement. Besides his wife Carolyn, he is survived by his sons, Thomas Kokoska of New Haven, Richard Kokoska of Willimantic, and daughter Stephanie Duchesneau of Farmington; three sisters, Helen Wietrak of Rocky Hill, Agnes Baur of Meriden, and Sophie Ostasiewski of Meriden; four grandchildren, Claire Kokoska of Providence, Sophie Kokoska of Manhattan, Kirk Duchesneau of Glastonbury, and Cory Duchesneau (and fiancée Kourtney Spaulding) of Oxford, Ohio; and also several nieces and nephews, including his beloved nephew Martin Kokoszka of Chicago. He was predeceased by his youngest son Ethan and four brothers, Edward, Henry, Julian ("Whitey"), and Louis Kokoszka; and three sisters, Frances Polchopek, Marion Crego and Theofila Mendyka. Stan's family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday, January 4th from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Potter Funeral Home, (456 Jackson St., Rte. 195) in Willimantic and a funeral mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, January 5th at St. Joseph's Church (99 Jackson St.) in Willimantic, with burial to follow at St. Joseph's Cemetary on Club Road in North Windham. The family requests that memorial contributions be made to St. Joseph's Church in lieu of flowers. For an online memorial guestbook please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com.