Richard J. Pawlak

Richard J. Pawlak, 61, of New Britain, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, May 13, 2016. He was the beloved husband of Judy (Grzyb) Pawlak. Born in Belgium, son of the late Jan and Zofia (Wierzbicka) Pawlak, he resided in New Britain since 1956. Rich retired from the State of CT after many years of employment and was a member of the Drifters Motorcycle Club. He was an avid New Britain baseball fan, most recently supporting the Rock Cats. Always willing to lend a hand, Rich was active in the Polish community and volunteered his time on the Dozynki Committee. He was a member and past vice president of the Pulaski Democratic Club. A devoted father, he leaves his son, Richard D. Pawlak, and his step-daughter Jamie Grzyb, both of New Britain. He also leaves his brother Lucian J. Pawlak and his wife Helen, of New Britain; sister-in-law Elizabeth Pawlak of East Berlin; his step-mother Zofia Pawlak of New Britain; and several nieces and nephews and their families, Donna Slimskey, Kristin Sparks, Mandy Andros, Sarah Pawlak-Sharma, and Lucian F. Pawlak. He was pre-deceased by his brother George J. Pawlak. Relatives and friends are invited to call on Tuesday, May 17, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Burritt Hill Funeral Home, 332 Burritt St., New Britain, followed by a funeral service at 7:00 p.m. He will be laid to rest privately in Sacred Heart Cemetery, New Britain. Memorial donations may be made to the Hardware City AA, c/o Lucian J. Pawlak, 149 Vine St., New Britain, CT 06052. To share a memory, please visit us at www.burritthill.com.