Carl W. Nawrocki

8/29/1943 - 10/24/2025

Salem - Carl W. Nawrocki of Salem, passed away Oct. 24, 2025. He was the eldest of five brothers, sons of Walter and Anastasia (Pikora) Nawrocki. He was born Aug. 29,1943, in Webster, Mass. Carl grew up in Dudley, Mass. amongst a large extended Polish Catholic family with many aunts, uncles and cousins. He attended local schools, was involved in Boy and Explorer Scouts to adulthood, studied electronics and worked in a woolen mill.

Carl enlisted in the United States Coast Guard in 1963, and rose to the rank of avionics technician second class. He was very proud of his service as a search and rescue aircrewman, flying in helicopters and seaplanes. He performed numerous search and rescue missions in the Caribbean flying out of San Juan P.R. and in the North Atlantic, flying out of Salem, Mass. and Quonset Point, R.I. He was a member of the Coast Guard Aviation Association.

Carl spent nearly his entire professional career working as a civilian employee for the U.S. Navy, starting at Navy Underwater Sound Laboratory. Carl's career advanced from engineer to principal investigator, program manager, department head, and ultimately head of Surface Ship Anti-Submarine Warfare Programs at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center where he served until his retirement in 2000.

As a manager, Carl took great interest in the careers of his staff and enjoyed being a mentor to many. He especially enjoyed working with Sonarmen during at-sea exercises aboard destroyer warships. His innovative work developed new technology for torpedo defense systems and introduced high speed towed sonars for surface combatants. Carl also led the efforts that produced the first all-digital integrated Surface ASW Combat System, the variants of which have been the mainstay of the U.S. Surface Fleet for the last 40 years. His work for the Navy earned him numerous awards, including a Productivity Award personally presented by the Secretary of Defense, the Navy Meritorious Achievement Medal, the National Defense Industrial Association Bronze Medal and the Decibel Award emblematic of his work in the field of underwater acoustics.

Ever the planner, Carl thought early on about what he would do in his retirement and decided to devote his time to public libraries. He believed that in supporting libraries, he helped everyone. In 1990, he helped found The Friends of the Salem Free Public Library. The main goal of the organization was to build a new larger library in his hometown of Salem. He served on the building committee as secretary and chairman, and the clerk of works during the building phase. His tireless efforts culminated in the new 7,000 square foot library that opened in 2005. Carl was president of the Friends of Salem Free Public Library for well over 30 years and was a mainstay of the annual Used Book Sale.

After being elected to the Board of The Friends of Connecticut Libraries, Carl served two terms as president and spent many years as the program's chairman. He also served on the Board of The Friends of the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, as well as serving two terms on the Advisory Council for Library Planning and Development for the Connecticut State Library. For his charitable work with libraries, Carl received numerous awards, including the Town of Salem's Unsung Hero Award, the Lions Clubs of Eastern Connecticut's Humanitarian of the Year award, the Connecticut Library Association's Edith B. Nettington Award, and the Friends of Connecticut Libraries' Lillian Levin Award.

Carl loved dogs and they loved him. As soon as he moved to Salem in 1976, he began adopting mostly older dogs and always had two or three in residence. Over the years, he adopted more than 17 dogs, providing them each a forever home. One of Carl's favorite quotes is by Will Rodgers, "I don't know where dogs go when they die, but when I die, I want to go there."

|Carl was a family man and married twice. After college, Carl was introduced by family friends to Carole Eckart. The two were married for 46 years and blessed with a beloved daughter, Anne, who is married to Edward W. Coss III. Carl's one grandchild, Edward W. Coss IV, "Edziu," was the apple of Carl's eye. After Carole passed, Carl met Lynn Landi who was lovingly dedicated to his care and happiness. The two were married in 2023, and began a wonderful life together.

Throughout his life, Carl and family enjoyed travel, cooking and live entertainment. Frequent trips, especially to Cancun, became a cherished tradition with family and friends. They took memorable trips to Machu Picchu, Australia and New Zealand, Poland, Brazil and Argentina. Season tickets to UConn women's basketball, summers at Tanglewood, and many other concerts and shows entertained them for over 50 years. Carl was also an excellent chef and renowned host, planning family holiday gatherings and a monumental 40-year family reunion.

Along with his daughter's family, he is survived by his brothers, John and Stephen of Webster, Mass., and Peter of Dudley, Mass. He was preceded in death by his brother Arthur of Wells, Maine. Carl has two godchildren, Sarah Lussier of Auburn, Mass., and Andrew Monroe of Buenos Aires; and a large family of cousins whom he cherished. Carl loved his family, dogs, community and country, and he spent nearly every day trying to make life better for all.

A Visitation will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Monday, Nov. 17, at the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home, 167 Old Harford Road, Colchester, and a Mass of Christian Burial will be held 11 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 18, at Our Lady of the Lakes Church, 752 Norwich-Salem Turnpike, Oakdale, with a reception to follow at Langley's, 28 Lamphere Road, Waterford. Memorial donations may be made to the Friends of Salem Library, 264 Harford Road, Salem CT 06420 and the Montville Animal Welfare Initiative Inc.,64 D Noto Drive, Oakdale, CT 06370.