Stanley Libera

Stanley Libera, 92, of New Britain, widower of Anna A. (Andruskiewicz) Libera, passed away on Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015 at the HOCC at New Britain General after a brief illness. Stanley was born in Fulton, New York, on January 18, 1923 to the late Walter and Felicia (Kalafarski) Libera. He enlisted in the U. S. Navy, January 16, 1941. Pearl Harbor was almost still a year away. The United States was still nominally at peace. Stanley spent most of that year being a radio man in San Diego and enjoyed it greatly. After radio school, he was assigned to the battleship U.S.S. Tennessee , based at Pearl Harbor. Stanley was on his way into town the next morning when general quarters sounded. It came as a surprise. "We all looked at each other"….and felt the fate upon us. Two weeks after the attack, during downtime, he was reassigned. Given the choice between destroyers and submarines, he chose the submarine and attended sub school in New London, CT. It was then in November, in need of a new ship, he saw the Macaw, thought it was beautiful and it needed a radioman. On route to Midway Island, the ship hit a storm and sank, leaving Stanley amongst the survivors. Back home on survivors leave, Stanley got married. He met his sweet Anna during sub school, changing his plans of a naval career. He instead became a director of quality control at Prentice Place in Kensington, retiring in 1981. After his retirement, he went to work for his good friend, Eddy Brusek along with his friend Larry DeSimone. They were known throughout New Britain as 'The Three Musketeers', being inseparable. They all belonged to the Northwestern TGM Club, where they could be found often. Stanley also loved tending to his garden and sitting in his yard and watching the neighbors pigeons. What he enjoyed most was the time he spent with this 'Three Dolls' (nieces: Lisa McKeon, Isabelle & Anna Secor) The proudest time he loved to share, was how he was a Pearl Harbor survivor. He is also survived by additional nieces and nephews; John Kabat of Ohio, Michael Kabat & Dennis Bednarek, both of Rochester, NY, Cynthia Gerrard of Maine and Mario Amenta, who was also like a son to him. Stanley was also predeceased by his 3 sisters: Josie, Jane & Charlotte and special niece Betty Martinelli. Funeral services will be held Monday, September 21, 2015 with a time of visitation from 8:30-9:30am at the New Britain Memorial Donald D. Sagarino Funeral Home, 444 Farmington Ave, New Britain, followed by his funeral liturgy at 10AM in Sacred Heart Church. Burial with military honors will follow in Sacred Heart Cemetery, New Britain. For directions or online messages, please visit newbritainsagarino.com