Stephen B. Hudak, Jr.

Stephen Bernard Hudak, Jr., 85, of West Hartford passed away peacefully on Slovak Christmas Sunday, December 6, 2009 at St. Francis Hospital. He was the beloved husband of the late Regina Hultgren Hudak deceased 1970 and for the last 38 years, of Evelyn Colantuoni Hudak. Born in Johnstown, PA on August 24, 1924, to the late Stephen and Mary Bartosky Hudak, Stephen graduated from Bishop McCort High School and then attended St. Vincent's College in Latrobe PA. He was an officer in the US Army during World War II and received training at Yale University as a Japanese interpreter prior to his deployment overseas in Japan and Korea. Later, he took great pride and enjoyment in having helped to organize the 50th and the 60th year reunions of his Yale classmates. Stephen graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in 1949 with a degree in metallurgical engineering. He was very proud of his long and successful career as a metallurgical engineer with U.S. Steel Corporation that spanned over 35 years and brought him from New Jersey to Pittsburgh and finally to his home in West Hartford. Not long after his initial retirement, Stephen translated his energy and work ethic into a 10 year employment with the Asko Knife Company. Stephen was a faithful parishioner at The Church of St. Timothy for 47 years. He is survived by his wife, Evelyn; by his sister, Rosemarie; by his sons, Mark, Craig, James, and Stephen; by 9 grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces; and by a host of friends. He was very sad to have been predeceased by his beautiful daughter, Ruth. His family will remember Stephen's lifelong love of books both reading and famously, collecting, learning particularly with respect to his children's educations, and mental challenges for instance, the New York Times crossword puzzles; his intelligence, grace, generosity, and constant optimism; his love and support as a husband, father, and grandfather; his nurturing of the instinct in each of his children and grandchildren to work to the best of his or her abilities; his profound enjoyment of the simple things in life; his ability to find something to like in everyone that he met; and with the greatest affection, the immense interest and delight he took in the lives of his family. Our family extends sincere gratitude to the doctors and staff at St. Francis Hospital for the compassionate care they provided for Stephen in his last months. The family will welcome friends at the Molloy Funeral Home, 906 Farmington Avenue, West Hartford, from 4-7 pm on Wednesday, December 9. The funeral will be Thursday, December 10th at 9:15 a.m. from the funeral home with a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 am in The Church of St. Timothy, 1116 North Main Street, West Hartford, CT 06117. Burial will follow in Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield. Donations in his memory may be made to The Church of St. Timothy.

Stephen B. Hudak, Jr.

August 24, 1924 - December 6, 2009