Florence (Polewaczyk) James

Bozrah — Florence (Polewaczyk) James, 86, widow of Peter J. James of Bozrah, passed away peacefully at her home Saturday, May 11, 2019.

She was born in Norwich on April 30, 1933, to Joseph and Lillian (Ruszczyk) Polewaczyk. Florence was a graduate of Norwich Free Academy, Class of 1951. On June 16, 1951, she was united in marriage with Peter James and together they worked side by side running many local businesses, including Dairyland Restaurant, Norwich Discount Liquor and a chain of laundromats known as James Laundromats. Florence and Peter traveled extensively around the world and enjoyed spending winters in their home in Longboat Key, Fla.

Florence is survived by her three children and their spouses, Donna and Tommie Parr of Norwich, John and Patricia James of North Franklin, and Lori and Norman Danis of Norwich; four grandchildren, John M. James and his wife, Tara, Tabatha Kiely and her husband, Joseph Turgeon, Tanya Kapilotis, and Megan and her husband, Craig Huntington. She also leaves eight great-grandchildren, Madalyn Kiely, Jarrett, Costa and Kali Kapilotis, Joshua and Gabriella James, and Lillian and Hazel Huntington; also her dear friend Sylvia Gamede, who cared for her for the past six years. Florence also is survived by her sisters Kathryn Wilkinson, Elizabeth Briggs and Christine Polewaczyk, and was predeceased by her sister Dorothy White.

Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 16, 2019, at the Labenski Funeral Home, 108 Boswell Ave., Norwich. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Friday, May 17, 2019, in Saints Peter and Paul Church, Norwich. Burial will follow in Maplewood Cemetery, Norwich.

In lieu of flowers, donations are asked to be made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Association, P.O. Box 96011, Washington, D.C. 20090, or to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 381005.

Please visit www.labenskifuneralhome.com to leave an online tribute or condolence.