Dr. Witold Kawecki

Dr. Witold Kawecki, 92, of Plainville and Westbrook, beloved husband of 62 years to Dorothy (Pucilowski) Kawecki, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday, May 22, 2021 after a brief illness. Dr. Kawecki was born in Tarnow, Poland on March 7, 1929, and was the son of the late Karol and Maria (Goldner) Kawecki. His esteemed medical journey began with his graduation of high school in La Courtine, France followed by the National University of Ireland located in Galway, Ireland and then finally completing medical school at Galway University College, graduating in 1955. After arriving in the United States in 1955, Dr. Kawecki began a 40 year career at the following facilities; Rotating Internship at New Britain General Hospital from 1955 to 1956, residency in Psychiatry at Connecticut Valley Hospital in Middletown, Connecticut Post Graduate Seminar in Psychiatry and Neurology, residency in Neurology at the Veterans Hospital of West Haven and Grace New Haven, respectively. In 1962, he entered private practice where he remained until his retirement in 1995. Before his retirement, he was also the Medical Director of the Counseling Center at New Britain General Hospital. Dr. Kawecki was involved in many associations and clubs beginning with the American Medical Association, The American Psychiatric Association in which he was a life member, the Connecticut State Medical Society, The Hartford County Medical Association, the National Medical and Dental Association, the Association of Polish Psychiatrists & Neurologists where he served as past president, the Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America, Polish American Congress-Advisory Council where he served as its past vice president, Polish Business & Professional Association of New Britain where he served as its trustee, the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut where he served as its vice-president, Kosciuszko Foundation National Advisory Council, Club 44, Kiwanis Club of New Britain, the Elks Lodge #957 and the Polish Falcons of America. Dr. Kawecki was also the Vice President of the Central Connecticut Mental Health Network and the Director of the Central Health Services, P.C. Even with his busy schedule, he was able to also submit papers for publication which include, Psychiatry in Poland and the Achievements of Polish Psychiatrists Abroad, 1974, Interface between Medicine and Psychiatry, 1985, Paranoid Reactions in Polish Americans and Polish Treatment of Polish American and Polish Immigrant Polish Paranoia, 1995. Finally, Dr. Kawecki was also one of the Incorporators and a founder of the Wheeler Clinic, Inc. and he was also an Incorporator of the New Britain General Hospital. In his leisure time, he loved sailing, skiing, reading, writing and photography. Besides his beloved wife of 62 years, Dr. Kawecki is survived by his children, John Kawecki of Plainville, Wanda Kawecki also of Plainville, and Anna Beckwith and her husband Brian of Lebanon. He is also survived by his two loving granddaughters, Victoria Beckwith and April Beckwith, his sister in law Rita Reisinger and her husband John, a niece, Debbie Gould and her husband Stephen of PA, and by one nephew, David Reisinger and his wife May and their son, Kenne of Chicago, Ill. and many cousins throughout Europe. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at 10:30 AM from the New Britain Memorial/Sagarino Funeral Home, 444 Farmington Avenue, New Britain, CT 06053 and at 11:00 AM in Holy Cross Church, 31 Biruta Street, New Britain. Burial will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery. Friends and relatives are invited to his calling hours which will be held on Friday, June 11, 2021 from 4-7 PM at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, contributions in Dr. Kawecki’s memory may be made to the Polish American Foundation of CT, 27 Grove Hill Street, New Britain, CT 06052. For directions or to leave an online condolence, please visit www.newbritainsagarino.com.

Dr. Witold Kawecki -- Eulogy -- June 12, 2021

It was my privilage to know Dr. Witold Kawecki for well over 40 years. The context was the volunteer work for Polonia organizations. Dr Kawecki was a founding member of the Connecticut chapter of Solidarity International, which aided the underground Solidarity movement in Poland in the 1980s. In the 1990s he was part of the effort by the Connecticut Chapter of the Polish American Congress lobbying for Poland’s accession to NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organization). And he was the founding member of the Polish American Foundation of Connecticut, which is celebrating its 25th Anniversary this year. He served in leadership positions at these organizations, always infusing an optimistic and future-oriented outlook. But these three organizations are just the ones in which we were both involved. Remarkably, Dr. Kawecki’s dedicated and tireless community work and leadership predated my involvement by decades, and extended to many other Polonia as well as professional organizations.

Reflecting on Dr Kawecki’s life, two words come to mind: indefatigable and patriot.

Witold was very proud of his father Karol Stefan Kawęcki, who was a genuine hero in the fight to restore Poland’s independence in 1918 and a soldier in the battle for Poland in 1939 and later in the French Underground during World War II. Clearly, his father’s patriotism influenced and inspired Witold.

The Polish American Congress and Solidarity International, organizations to which Witold devoted much time and energy, were both dedicated to ending the Soviet occupation and domination of Poland. And the accession of Poland to NATO was the Final Campaign in the struggle to restore Poland’s sovereignty. It was also the last campaign of World War II in the sense that Poland’s independence lost in 1939, was not fully restored until Poland joined, or rejoined, the North Atlantic alliance. This historic connection was not lost on Witold Kawecki. So, in this war, Witold’s father fought in the first campaign, and Witold served in its last campaign.

Dr. Kawecki was also a passionate patriot for the Polish American community - or Polonia, as well as his profession of Psychiatry, and of course, his family. Always optimistic, loyal, calm, and helpful – truly ”a man for all seasons.” Indeed, in pursuit of these patriotic causes he was tireless, and persistent, if not relentless. Indefatigable is the word that best captures this quality.

He was always proselatizing for the the Polish American Foundation and the Kosciuszko Foundation, or other organizations, but above all, for unity among Polonia organizations. As you might guess, this last cause of Polonia unity was a bit of a Quixotic pursuit. But, perhaps he might take some satisfaction in the fact we are all united here in celebrating his life and wishing him fare-well on his final journey. Szerokiej Drogi Witold!