Elaine was the wife of the late Vincent Rajcula, to whom she was married for 47 years. She was born in Danbury, grew up on South Main Street and attended Danbury schools. Elaine was the daughter of the late Paul and Beatrice Pannozza, and she was enormously proud of her Italian heritage. She graduated from Danbury High School in 1953 and attended secretarial school. She maintained life-long close friendships with her school friends Helen Gustavson, Jeanette & Benny DeFazio and Alice Keenan.
Elaine first went to work at E.M.R. in Danbury where she met Vincent as well as continuous close friends Bob and Sheila Vetter. She later served the Town of Brookfield as a secretary for the Zoning Board of Appeals and Planning and Zoning Commission; and finished her 27 years of service to the town in the Parks and Recreation department.
In addition to her professional work, Elaine was active in the Brookfield Garden Club for 57 years including two terms as Club President. She was also deeply involved with the Brookfield Historical Society, quilting groups, and teaching art and crafts classes with the Parks and Rec. She was also an avid gardener, voracious reader, a skilled seamstress and a fantastic cook and baker.
She is survived by her son Vincent Rajcula, Jr. and wife Kim of Brookfield, CT; son Gary Rajcula of Guilford, CT; daughter Kathy Rajcula of Brookfield, CT; brother Paul Pannozza and wife Sharon of New Milford, CT; grandsons Dylan and Jedrek Rajcula of Brookfield, CT; cousin John Pawloski of New Milford, CT, cousin Teresa LeFebvre of Portland, Maine, and twenty nieces and nephews.
A celebration of life will be held later this month, and a private burial will be held in the spring.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Elaine's memory to The Garden Club of Brookfield P.O. Box 594, Brookfield, CT 06804, The Brookfield Historical Society, 165 Whisconier Road, Brookfield, CT 06804 or The Brookfield Library, 182 Whisconier Road, Brookfield, CT 06804.
