Pauline Guerrero

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Pauline Ann Szymczak Guerrero of Bloomfield, after a long and courageous battle with Juvenile Diabetes since the age of 7 and Multiple Sclerosis diagnosed in her early twenties .Pauline was born July 26, 1950 to Ralph and Antoinette ( Leta ) Szymczak in Willimantic , CT . She was called to heaven to be with all the other Angels . She attended the Annie E. Vinton elementary school. During that time she was diagnosed with type I diabetes . While at the Joslin Clinics camp for diabetics she met poet author Louis Aaron Reitmeister who inscribed in Pauline's copy of his book " By The Way " the following : To my dear Pauline ; May Mother Nature be fair , be just , and kind to and keep you well , happy and always smiling - but don't depend on her too much - depend , my dear , upon yourself ! It is safer and more just . Your admirer L . Reitmiester - May 1958 . Pauline did follow his advice during her lifetime . She was a spirited and loving person who brought smiles to whomever she encountered. She went on to graduate from E.O. Smith High School with the class of 1968 and UConn class of 1972 with a degree in Psychology . She used her talents of persuasion in the travel and hospitality business selling vacations . First for some small travel agencies and then her dream job with a fortune 500 company called American Airlines , for which she devoted 20 years of dedicated service in the Eastern Regional Office before MS began to affect her ability to continue working . She met the love of her life Jerry Guerrero Jr. on New Year's Eve 1977 at a party with some friends . They enjoyed a 35 year partnership and were going to be celebrating their 29th wedding anniversary, on May 26th . She attended most of Jerry's concert performances with love and enthusiasm until she became too ill to attend. She enjoyed traveling and she and Jerry enjoyed St Martin , Puerto Plata , Aruba and many of the Caribbean Islands . She especially loved to go to Santa Fe , Colon , Honduras at the families vacation / retirement home . She was loved by all the people of Santa Fe who will miss her wonderful smile. In spite of all the illnesses that she had to endure she was truly the " Bullet " , a nickname that her father used to call her . She was a hard worker and was always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed " just someone to listen to them " . She always had a positive outlook on life even though the doctors predicted that she would not live past 32. She beat the odds! She was especially encouraging to her husband's violin and piano students who referred to her as Mrs. G, when they would come to the studio for a lesson . She loved good wine and great food, which she and Jerry enjoyed over the years . She leaves to cherish her memories, her beloved husband of 28 years , Jerry , her mother in law Isabel her father in law Jerry Sr. who loved her like a third daughter, her sisters in law Maxine and Arlene and brothers in law Ricky and Roland Guerrero, her niece Reina Guerrero , Julie Szymczak Lerner and her husband Evan , Lt. Neil Szymczak and his wife Renee who are expecting her brother Ralph and his wife Betsy 's first grandchild which she learned about a few days before her passing . She will be missed by her precious cat Julia and a host of cousins and many, many friends who supported her through her battles with her illnesses . The family will have a calling hour on Tuesday March 5, 2013 at Potter Funeral Home , 456 Jackson Street ( Rte. 195 ) , Willimantic , CT from 9:30 - 10:30 am followed by a homecoming Mass at St Joseph Church, 99 Jackson St. Willimantic at 11:00 am and burial at St Joseph Cemetery in Windham. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund and the MS Society in Pauline's name . The Guerrero family and the Szymczak family would like to thank CCCI the Caring Connection , Alexandria Manor and all of the health care professionals that were involved in Pauline's care for these last years . For an online memorial guestbook, please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com .