Barbara Ann Hvizdo, born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, was a graduate of Warren Harding High School, Class of 1956. She is predeceased by her beloved parents, Frances A. Hvizdo (Jarosko) and Joseph J. Hvizdo, (kid) brother, Kenneth M. (Butchie) Hvizdo and Joseph J. (Sonny) Hvizdo, Jr.. Bobbe is survived by her two sisters, Arline F. Sotomayor and Linda Lee Andrews and her husband James, sister-in-law, Diane Hvizdo as well as many nieces, nephews and great nephew and great nieces.
After her 1959 graduation from the Bridgeport Hospital School of Nursing where she received the A. Boswell James Award in Cardiology, she attended the University of Bridgeport. She was commissioned into the Navy Nurse Corps in 1960 in New York City and attended Officer’s Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island. She also attended Catholic University in Washington, DC and the College of William and Mary (VA) prior to her graduation from the Navy Nurse Corps School of Anesthesia at George Washington University (DC)/Navy Medical School (Bethesda, MD). She completed her internship at Portsmouth (VA) Naval Hospital.
In the Navy Nurse Corps, she served as an anesthetist in various states and for the Navy Support Activity for Vietnam in Yokosoka, Japan (1967-1969). Here she was also a medical attendant for the Navy accompanying patients to Army and Air Force hospitals via ambulance or helicopter. She also flew several medical evacuation flights to the USA as a medical attendant. She was a member of the Spanish Officers Club, Hay Motivo, in Rota, Spain. She retired from the Navy Nurse Corps in 1981 at the US Naval Hospital, Groton, Connecticut.
She is a past board member of both the National Navy Nurse Corps and the New England Navy Nurse Corps. She held a lifetime membership in Disabled American Veterans, Vietnam Vets of America, VFW Post 4608, Ledyard, the Fleet Reserve Association, Br. 32 and Waves National. She also had a life membership in the Women of the Moose (lodge 193) in Stratford, Connecticut. She has been a member of the Military Surgeons of America. She was a member Emeritus of both the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists and the National Chemical Dependency Association. She was in the Who’s Who in American Nursing (1987-1988)
She was a woman devoted to her country and career as a nurse. Throughout her career she was the recipient of numerous medals and acknowledgements including the National Service Defense Medal, the Navy Unity Commendation (Tet Offensive), the Connecticut Wartime Veterans Services Medal, the Military Surgeons Medal and the Connecticut Vietnam War Hero Medal. She also was the recipient of the Quilt of Valor and Certificate of Appreciation from the Moose (193) as a “Valued Veteran” and received the “Valued Veteran” pin.
As a strong advocate for her beloved feline companions (most recently, Hachi), she has received two diplomas from the North American School of Animal Science (California) in Small Animal care and General Animal Science.
Since 1979, she has resided in Gales Ferry, Connecticut. There she was a life member of Our Lady of Lourdes Guild where she served as chairperson of the Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration 10:00 AM group as well as chairperson of the phone tree for the Guild. She also served as Extraordinary Minister of the Eucharist for the hospital, nursing homes, and homebound. In 2004, she was professed as a Third Order Lay Carmelite of the Holy Face of Jesus Community, now of Middletown, Connecticut. She was an Associate member of Opus Sanctorum Angelorum and was a Board member of the Gales Ferry Cemetery Association.
Finally, Bobbe would like to thank her extended family, Polly Ann Spring, my friend of 50+ years for her kindness, support and humor. Thank you to Trish Sullivan, Mary Caswell, Jim and Ruth Rooney, Eileen and Steve Munger for their loyalty, support, and ‘being there’. Nancy Pistel and Ed for all the rides to and from doctors’ visits, surgical procedures, etc. Last, but not least, thanks to the Ledyard Visiting Nurses, especially Courtney and home health aides, Annette, Debbie, Amy and Noreen. God bless you all. She wishes to thank Elizabeth and Jose Tuazon, Judy, Florence for all their help and food delivery. Thanks to Lou Tedeschi and Florence Sammataro for bringing the Eucharist and praying with her weekly.
A Celebration of Life will be Friday December 16, 2022 10:00am at Our Lady of Lourdes Church. Burial will be with full military honors at the Gales Ferry Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, please send a donation to:
St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 50 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38104
Camp Sunshine @ Sebago Lake, 35 Acadia Road, Casco, ME 04015
Haitian Health Foundation, c/o Dr. J. Lowney, 97 Sherman Street, Norwich, CT 06360
Animal Welfare League of New London County, c/o Armond Lambert, P.O. Box 1716, Groton, CT 06340
Barbara Ann Hvizdo Endowment Fund, Our Lady of Lourdes Church, 1650 Route 12, Gales Ferry, CT 06335
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