BYSIEWICZ, STANLEY JOHN

Stanley John Bysiewicz passed away peacefully on January 13th. A member of the greatest generation, Stan was born on March 4, 1922, to Polish immigrants Walter John Bysiewicz and Bronislawa Rzniekiewicz Bysiewicz.

One of six children, he grew up and worked on his family’s farm and store in the Westfield section of Middletown, Connecticut. Stan enjoyed life with his parents and siblings, most of whom lived – like he did – within a one-mile radius their entire lives. On the farm, Stan was instilled with the values of hard work and family that would contribute to his many personal and professional successes. Living through the Depression, he developed a lifelong frugality that served him well later in life. This frugality allowed him to personally finance the beautiful family home he built on his father’s farm, the college educations of his four children and those of his grandchildren.

He attended Saint Mary’s School and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High School - no small tasks given that he often had to walk nearly 5 ½ miles to get there. At these schools, he learned to read and write English, excelled academically and even played on the WWHS baseball team. After graduating from high school, he worked at Hamilton Standard, assembling commercial and military airplane propellers.

He proudly served in the United States Army Air Corps from 1941 to 1944 and was assigned to a B-24 airplane crew that completed 50 bombing missions in the European Theater. Stan was training on B-29s for service in the Pacific when the war thankfully ended. Though merely 20 when he was drafted, he received a Purple Heart Medal for a shrapnel injury. His war-time experience as a bombardier is recounted in a collection with other WWII veterans at Ball State University.

After returning home from the war, he studied accounting at Drexel University, graduating in 1947 with the help of the GI Bill. He was a member of Alpha Pi Lambda fraternity where he managed its kitchen. He eventually settled into a career with Nationwide Insurance Company, where he sold all types of insurance and trained many young sales agents. He left his position as a district sales manager in 1972 to start his own successful insurance agency in Manchester, CT where he worked with his son-in-law David Donaldson until he was in his late 80’s. A trailblazer of sorts, he also helped organize an agents’ union. Stan was passionate about insurance and had an extremely loyal customer base. Everyone wanted him as an agent because he would protect their interests in the claims process.

Stan married the first love of his life, Shirley Raissi in 1959 at his beloved Saint Pius Church in Middletown. Together they lived on the family farm and raised their four children, Susan, John, Karen and Gail. He and Shirley, the first female, tenured law professor at the University of Connecticut, were married for thirty-one years prior to her passing in 1990. A man before his time, Stan fully supported Shirley as she worked full-time at her career and actively advocated for the Equal Rights Amendment in the 1970’s and women’s rights until her death.

He was thrilled to find love again when he married Nancy Quattromani in 1994 and looked forward to celebrating their 25th anniversary later this year.

Stan was a constant in his children’s lives, cooking them breakfast each morning until they graduated high school, then later helping out at all of his son’s road races, making calls for his eldest daughter’s political campaigns and being there whenever his kids needed him – which was often. He took pleasure in being the chief babysitter and driver for his grandchildren and loved entertaining his family, making every holiday special.

In addition to spending time with his family, Stan lived to tend to his farm and land. He planted many acres of potatoes, vegetables and fruit and was known for his delicious blueberries and corn. Stan enjoyed selling produce to local grocery stores and in Polish neighborhoods. He attributed his long and productive life to hard work, personal discipline and home-grown vegetables.

Stan was also an avid UConn Huskies fan, attending as many of the men’s and women’s basketball home games as possible. He loved playing the occasional golf game, walking every hole until his late 80s and had fun organizing his high school class reunions.

He was predeceased by his brothers Theodore, Adolph, and Peter and his sister Adeline. He is survived by his sister, Helen Cross of Belmont, California, his wife Nancy and her children, Danny Quattromani (Paula) and Lisa Sicard (Steven). He also leaves behind his children Susan Bysiewicz (David Donaldson), John Bysiewicz (Jennifer Glass), Karen Bysiewicz (David Code), and Gail Bysiewicz. His beautiful and devoted grandchildren include Ava, Leyna, Tristan, Sophie, Raissi, Isabel, Josh, Rachel, Tess, Ashley, Gianna, Nicholas, Matheau, Celine and Emmalee. He also was fortunate enough to have two great-granddaughters Arianna and Adalynn.

The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Shirley Raissi Bysiewicz ‘54 Scholarship Fund at the UConn School of Law. Checks may be made payable to the UConn Foundation, Inc. at 2390 Alumni Drive Unit 3206, Storrs, Connecticut 06269 (indicate Shirley Raissi Bysiewicz Scholarship Fund on the check).

His Funeral Liturgy will be held at St. Pius X Church, 310 Westfield St., Middletown at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, January 26th. Calling hours will be held on Friday, January 25th from 5 to 7 p.m. at Biega Funeral Home, 3 Silver St., Middletown. To share memories or express condolences online, please visit www.biegafuneralhome.com