Obituary of James Edward Stawarky

James Edward Stawarky, Sr., 87, beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother, died peacefully surrounded by his family in his home on November 30, 2017. The memory of his beautiful life will be forever cherished by his wife of 61 years Dorothy Ann Kotulich Stawarky; children, Jo Ann Stawarky Anderson, husband Joel, of Litchfield, NH and children Nate Anderson and Sarah Larrow, Jane Stawarky Baer, husband Michael, of Merion, PA and beloved grandchildren, twins Danielle and David Baer; James Edward Stawarky, Jr. and wife Ann-Marie, of Newington, CT, sister, Janette Stawarky Simko and twin brother, John Carl Stawarky, Jr., both of Trumbull, CT, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. The son of John Carl Stawarky, Sr. and Lillian Roscoe Stawarky, he was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut. James was an avid Boy Scout in his youth, earning the Ad Altare Dei emblem. Upon graduating from Warren Harding High School, James went to Pratt Institute in New York studying design. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy, serving in the Korean War as a radio communication specialist on the U.S.S. Staten Island in the Arctic Circle, and was a member of the U. S. Navy band. He married Dorothy and moved to West Virginia, receiving a Bachelor of Arts from West Virginia Wesleyan College, followed by a Master of Arts from The Pennsylvania State University. He taught art at Roselle High School in New Jersey then moved his family to Newington, Connecticut where he was an art teacher at King Phillip Middle School in West Hartford for 30 years. He was loved by his students, many of whom he kept in touch with throughout the years. He was a gifted painter, winning numerous awards for his landscapes. Weekends and summers were spent rebuilding his beloved beach house in Westbrook where he retired. He was a member of the West Hartford Art League, Westbrook Elks and an active member of St. Mark The Evangelist Church. James loved to spend time entertaining friends and family at the beach. He enjoyed boating and fishing, seeing the world with his wife on multiple cruises and cheering on the Yankees. Devoted to his family and friends, he had the most generous, loving heart and touched many lives with his presence. We will always be thankful for the gift that was his life. Friends and family may call Wednesday, December 6 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm at Robinson, Wright and Weymer Funeral Home, 34 Main Street, Centerbrook. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held Thursday, December 7 at 10:00 am at St. Mark The Evangelist Church, 222 McVeagh Road, Westbrook. Interment will follow at Resurrection Cemetery, 1080 Horse Hill Road, Westbrook. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in James' memory to The American Cancer Society at www.donate3cancer.org or Middlesex Hospice and Palliative Care www.middlesexhospital.org/donate-now/donatenow1 . To share a memory of James or send a condolence to his family, please visit www.rwwfh.com.