Beatrice Leola Pawlikowski

Beatrice Leola Bridges Pawlikowski Born June 20, 1916 - Died July 13, 2011, age 95 Bea was a resident of Hampton, CT for over 92 years, living in 3 separate houses there; 189 Main Street where she was born and lived continually from 1936 to 2009; the former Cartwright's of Sunset Hill; and the former Bill and Vinny Stocking's of West Old Route 6. She was a resident of St. Joseph's Living Center for the last 2 years of her life, passing away peacefully of natural causes. While Bea could really liven up a gathering with her outgoing nature, quick wit and sense of humor, she preferred the solitude afforded in both bird- and wildflower-hunting. She loved crossword puzzles, the Boston Red Sox, Rush Limbaugh, and especially TV, completely planning her viewing schedule for a week at a time. She was a sports fan in general and was hard pressed to keep her usual TV schedule during tennis and baseball seasons and Triple Crown horse races. Her anxiety level noticeably raised if her TV guide was late arriving in the mail. She was by her own admission a 'Swamp Yankee,' never having traveled out of New England. A day-long Mohawk Trail excursion was the farthest away from home she had ever been. While her day-to-day cooking mirrored her Yankee upbringing and frugality, she made the best apple pie ever! That recipe has been eagerly savored and used on many occasions by her daughter and others lucky enough to gain access to it. Bea spent her teen years at the West Old Route 6 house, and spoke of those years in a way that indicated her great happiness during them. Her childhood friends all lived near her there, and she often shared fond memories of them with her family in later years. After her parents bought and moved into the Main Street house in 1936, Bea and her mother worked for the war effort's AWS group in a small building just across their field on property now owned by Albert and Dana Ameer (formerly Sherman and Hildy Chapel). While the war was a distant threat to Hampton, still Bea and her mom worked faithfully for AWS, keeping records of members, learning to identify aircraft, and fighting the war from home with dedication and attention to detail. It was with some initial resentment that Bea moved into the Main Street house. She maintained for decades that it had been rather pretentious of her father to purchase a house on Main Street when they really belonged in 'dog patch'! However, the birds, animals and Main Street activity provided many delightful hours of enjoyment for her. Finding herself at last one of the oldest surviving matrons of the town also helped to reconcile her to living on Main Street. Married to Barney S. Pawlikowski of Hampton in 1940, she was the only daughter of Bertha Copeland Bridges and George Bridges. She herself had only one child, a daughter, June Elizabeth. In her mature years, Bea spent many hours with her grandsons during after-school visits. Her home eventually became home as well to her daughter, son-in-law and grandsons. A broken knee ended her stay at Main Street and began her convalescence at St. Joseph's Living Center where she passed away. Bea was predeceased by her husband Barney in 1983 and her son-in-law, Charles Herbert Miller, Jr. in 2008. She is survived by her daughter, June P. Miller of Hampton, and her grandsons, Stephen C. Miller of Milton, VT and Benjamin D. Miller of Hampton, CT. Her later life was marked by an ever-increasing faith in and dependence on Jesus Christ, and it was that faith in His faithfulness that took her peacefully home. "Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last." - excerpt from the poem of the same name by C.T. Studd Bea's family will not have a funeral, opting instead to remember her each in their own private ways. Anyone wishing to make a donation in memory of Bea can do so to St. Joseph's Living Center, 14 Club Road, Windham, CT 06280. The Potter Funeral Home, Willimantic assisted with arrangements. Please visit www.potterfuneralhome.comfor online memorial guest book.