Skender Puka

Skender Puka, 89, passed away peacefully surrounded by the love of his family and friends on November 23rd, 2020. Skender was born March 6, 1931, the son of Murshide and Musa Puka in Shkoder, Albania. Skender spent most of his life in Albania and joined the family of his son, Dorjan Puka, in West Hartford, over 10 years ago and became a proud American citizen in 2010. He was an exceptionally talented artist, a great intellectual, a loving father, husband, brother, uncle, and son for his family and a great friend for those who knew him. At the core of his soul there was love, goodness, vitality, strength, positive energy, optimism and beauty. These qualities found a superb expression in his art as well as in the way he raised his family and impacted everyone around him. These qualities were the source of strength that helped him navigate and survive for 40 years in the dark storms of a dictatorship that targeted and persecuted him, in the most brutal absurd way, for his free and beautiful spirit. The harshness he went through during those dark years broke many, but not him and his spirit. He was able to find beauty of life and love under any conditions. He was able to filter the adversities of life and focus on a single ray of sun, on a beautiful leave of grass, and, most importantly, on his love for people and for his art. Nobody could stop him from materializing the beauty and warmth of his soul in his work. He was one of the first students to enroll in Jordan Misja Artistic Lyceum of Tirana, Albania, and was well known amongst his peers. Him and his art were greatly praised by colleagues and art critics after the collapse of the dictatorship. He met the love of his life, Drita Puka in 1963 and they spent more than half a century together raising their three children; Aranit, Deshira, and Dorjan. Their relationship was one of unconditional and immense love. They stood by each other unshakably during good and bad times, for coming generations to model after. They traveled the world across continents to be with their children and grandchildren. He projected in his grandchildren, Gersi Gordani, Erik Gordani, Denny Puka and Drini Puka, his love and pride for them and his example on how to live beautifully, with honor and dignity, and leaves for them all a great family legacy. Predeceased by his siblings, Xhemile, Sadet, Hava, and Xhelal. Skender is survived by his son, Aranit Puka, his daughter and her husband, Deshira and Gezim Gordani, his son and his wife, Dorjan and Mira Puka, his grandchildren, Gersi, Erik, Denny, and Drini, his one sister, Fatushe, two brothers, Nail and Myslim, eighteen nieces and nephews, and many other relatives and friends. Funeral services will be held on Friday, November 27th beginning with calling hours from 10:00 a.m until 12:00 pm at the Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Ave., West Hartford. A graveside service will follow in Fairview Cemetery, 200 Whitman Ave., West Hartford. Due to Covid-19 social distancing and masks are required. Online expressions of sympathy may be made at www.molloyfuneralhome.com

Skender Puka

November 23, 2020