NAUGATUCK — Blazena “Blanche” (Vodickova) Krajewski, loving mother and grandmother, went home to be with the Lord on Dec. 31, 2022, at the age of 96. She was the widow of Leo J. Krajewski, who predeceased her in 2002.
Daughter of Marie (Starkova) and Jan Vodicka, Blazena was born on June 4, 1926, in Kostelec nad Cernými Lesy, Czech Republic. She met her husband, Leo, in 1945, while he was stationed overseas in the military.
In 1947, Blazena immigrated to the United States to marry Leo. They were married for 54 years and had three children.
Blazena was a resident of Naugatuck for 75 years. She was a devoted parishioner of St. Hedwig Church in Union City and, after its closing, she became a parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Naugatuck. Her past affiliations include the Ladies Guild and the Rosary Society at St. Hedwig Church, the AARP, Chapter 495, and the Naugatuck Women’s Club.
Blazena was a hard worker throughout her entire life. For 24 years, she was a stay-at-home wife and mom, and later retired from Peter Paul Cadbury after 20 years of service. She will be remembered for her pleasant and caring disposition, her friendly ways, and for her willingness to always lend a helping hand.
Left to cherish her memory are her daughter Marie (Tom) Booker, her son John (Laura), and her daughter Sophie Morton, with whom she resided before her residency at The Willows in Woodbridge. She is also survived by her granddaughter, Lyra (Michael) Griffiths, and several nieces and nephews.
In addition to her husband Leo, she was predeceased by five brothers and one sister, all from the Czech Republic.
Special recognition is given to caregiver Wanda Grandy for the extraordinary care she provided to Blazena while she was under her care at The Willows. The family would also like to express its gratitude to the remaining staff at The Willows, to VITAS Healthcare, and to the Naugatuck Valley Memorial/Fitzgerald-Zembruski Funeral Home.
A Mass of Christian Burial was to be on Friday, Jan. 6, 2023, at 11 a.m. at St. Vincent Ferrer Church, 1006 New Haven Road, Naugatuck. Interment was to follow at St. James Cemetery, Naugatuck. Visitation was to be Friday morning from 9:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m at Naugatuck Valley Memorial/Fitzgerald-Zembruski Funeral Home, 240 N. Main St., Naugatuck.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Naugatuck Ecumenical Food Bank, 75 Spring St., Naugatuck, CT 06770; or to woundedwarriorproject.com.
