Albina (Gawlik) Bednarzyk

Albina (Gawlik) Bednarzyk, 94, of Indian Orchard, passed into eternity on June 2, 2019. Born in Indian Orchard to the late Stanley and Kate (Lachmanch) Gawlik, Albina lived there all her life. She graduated from Technical High School in 1942 and began working at F.W. Sickles Company, where she completed 17 years of employment. When Sickles moved out of state, Albina began employment with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, where she worked as a Mental Health Assistant for 17 years.  Albina established the first Geriatric Care group in Springfield and enjoyed her position there until her retirement in 1990.

As a member of the Springfield Golden Agers, Albina enjoyed playing Bingo.  She was also a member of the Immaculate Conception Church Seniors, and a participant at the Wilbraham YMCA swimming program, where she swam weekly in the hot pool until declining health prohibited it. Albina's favorite pastimes were swimming, gardening, playing Bingo, and going to the movies.  She loved growing flowers and shared them with friends at her various social activities, meriting the nickname “the flower lady".   Another of Albina's pleasures was travel. She enjoyed going places with her sisters and friends and had visited Hawaii eight times.  Caribbean cruises were another of her favorite travel adventures, providing her the opportunity to see many ports. 

Albina was predeceased by her husband of 16 years, Stanley, in 1961, and by her son William in 2008, her brother Florian Gawlik, and sisters Stella Krzesowski, Helen Skutnik, Mildred Anderson, and Evelyn Jones. 

She is survived by her daughter Susan Farese and her husband Romeo of Milford, MA, her grandchildren William Bednarzyk Jr. of East Longmeadow, Philip Farese of New Canaan, CT, Sheri Tysz of Williamsburg, VA, Deborah Farese of Nashville, TN, and Christopher Bednarzyk of Simsbury, CT, eight great grandchildren, her brother John Gawlik of Indian Orchard, brother in law Joseph Anderson of N. Las Vegas, NV, sisters in law Francis Bednarczyk of W. Springfield, MA, and Sr. Mary Romuald of Enfield, CT, and many nieces and nephews. 

The funeral will be from Nowak Funeral & Cremation Services, 15 Ludlow Avenue, Indian Orchard MA, on Wednesday, June 5, 2019 with Calling Hours from 9-10:30 a.m. followed by A Mass of Celebration of Life at Immaculate Conception Church, 25 Parker Street, Indian Orchard at 11:00 a.m. Burial will follow in St. Aloysius Cemetery in Indian Orchard.

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