Helen (Pribyson) Kozak led a wonderful life. Born on March 3, 1917, the daughter of Ignatz Pribyson and Mary (Motyka) Pribyson she saw the world change in ways that she could never have dreamed and her life fulfilled in ways hard to have imagined. Helen’s life was rich in the form of family and friends. At the young age of 2, Helen was stung by the loss of her mother. Fate would later work in her favor as she met Fred Kozak in 1939. They fell in love and married in 1940. Over the next 15 years had five children (two of whom died before birth) whom she cherished all her life. Helen was ultimately blessed with nine wonderful grandchildren, including Lisa Stevens with whom she shared a special relationship, Eric Kozak, Amy Favreau, Jennifer Formica, Dan Vasseur, K.C. Kozak, Tom Barnhart, Christopher Vasseur and Debbie Mikolowsky. Her legacy grew to include 12 great-grandchildren whom she loved dearly. Helen was a woman who often spoke the words “I love you”, but more often heard them being said to her. Tragically and unexpectedly, Fred died in 1977 leaving Helen to figure out how to go on, and figure it out she did. She filled the hole left by his passing the only way she knew how, with family and friends. With her dear pal Jean she travelled extensively across the U.S. and to Europe. She even enjoyed an occasional trip to the casinos, where she often had a bit of luck. Helen worked at the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, retiring at the age of 72. While she could have easily left much earlier, her enjoyment of the relationships she had forged with her co-workers wouldn’t allow it. After her retirement she simply went back to work, this time as a volunteer at Hartford hospital, again forming many friendships. Often, the blessing of reaching Helen’s age is accompanied by the curse of having very few friends left. Not so with her, as she simply made more friends wherever she went. After she bravely sold her house in Wethersfield, she moved into the Lodge in Rocky Hill where she sang with the “Singing Buddies”, a vocal group that sang at local institutions. She formed many close relationships while at the Lodge, many of which lasted the rest of her life. Even as she was weakened and living at the Village in South Windsor she was able to touch people with a knowing smile or roll of her eyes, her easy way and quick humor inviting people to get to know her. Helen passed away peacefully on Wednesday, April 27th after a long, brave fight which she endured with toughness and class that can only be admired. Fittingly, her care-giver and new friend Leoni Turner was at her side. Besides her grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces and nephews, she leaves her three loving children, Donald Kozak and his wife, Marilyn of Mesa Arizona, Elaine Formica and her husband Aldo Tiboni of Florence Massachusetts and Kathryn Kozak and her partner, William Gagne of East Hartford Connecticut who agree that as a final gift; their mom taught them even more about life and brought them even closer together. Funeral procession from the Farley-Sullivan Funeral Home, 34 Beaver Rd., Wethersfield, will be held Monday, May 2, 2011, at 8:30am, with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrating Helen’s life at 9:30am in St. James Church, 767 Elm St., Rocky Hill. Helen will be interred next to her beloved Fred in Cedar Hill Cemetery, (Section 24), 453 Fairfield Ave., Hartford. The Kozak family will receive relatives and friends at the funeral home, Sunday, May 1, from 3 to 6pm. Memorial donations can be made in Helen’s name, to the Visiting Nurse and Health Services of Connecticut, Inc. 8 Keynote Drive, Vernon, CT 06066. To extend online expressions of sympathy, or for further information, please visit farleysullivan.com.
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