Harriet W. Brooks

Harriet (Wojtyna) Brooks, 83, of Wethersfield, passed away peacefully with her sons by her side on Saturday, August 23, 2025. Born in Hartford, she was the daughter of the late Joseph and Camille (Wojtowicz) Wojtyna. Harriet was raised in Hartford and moved to Wethersfield in 1968, where she resided for the rest of her life.

Harriet graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1963 with a degree in Nursing. She had a nursing career at Hartford Hospital that lasted for 50 years. Harriet was very proud of being one of the nurses that helped open the new Bliss wing of the hospital in 1972. While in Hartford Hospital, on the 11th floor Bliss ICU’s care earlier this year, her nurse relayed that he had been told stories of Harriet and how she was a “legend” and that he was proud to care for her. Harriet was also a Lamaze childbirth educator for years, teaching classes that helped bring hundreds of babies into the world through natural childbirth.

Harriet enjoyed the outdoors, especially spending time at the beach. She loved the family trips to the beaches of Cape Cod, but her true summer love was the time spent at Giants Neck beach in Niantic, CT. She grew up going to Giants Neck with her parents and continued the tradition with her own family. Harriet was also a member of the Wethersfield Garden Club and maintained both floral and vegetable gardens at her home for years, from which her sons loved picking and eating fresh vegetables, especially broccoli. She was a very good cook, making great holiday meals as well as creating her own flavored vinegars and pickling cucumbers.

Harriet loved to dance. She was a proud member of Greater Hartford Dance Academy, taking classes and participating in recitals year after year into her late 50s. She was very proud to know that her granddaughter Sydney had taken up dance, following in her tap shoes.

Harriet also enjoyed traveling, having visited France in her retirement (a lifelong dream). Harriet also took many trips with friends to New York City to enjoy Broadway shows and also loved traveling to Houston to see her grandchildren (and enjoy barbeque).

More than anything, Harriet enjoyed spending time with, seeing pictures of, and hearing stories about her 4 grandchildren. She will miss that time the most.

Harriet is survived by her sons; Christopher E. Zajac and his wife Susan of East Haddam and Steven J. Zajac and his wife Abby of Wethersfield, her four precious grandchildren; Ethan, Hannah, Nathan and Sydney Zajac, as well as several nieces and nephews. Harriet was also predeceased by a sister, Stella Saunders.

A time of visitation will be held Tuesday, September 2, 2025 from 5:30 - 7:30pm at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, September 3, 2025, with a prayer service at 10AM at D’Esopo Funeral Chapel. Burial will follow at the Wethersfield Village Cemetery located at 1 Marsh St in Wethersfield, CT. For directions or to share a memory, please visit www.desopofuneralchapel.com

Memorial contributions in Harriet’s name can be made to the American Cancer Society American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741 https://www.cancer.org/donate.html or the American Nurses Foundation, American Nurses Foundation, P.O. Box 504342, Saint Louis, MO 63150-4342 https://www.nursingworld.org/foundation/donate/