Carl Francis Adamek

Carl Francis Adamek shuffled off this mortal coil on November 19th, 2023 at the age of 83.

He is predeceased by his parents, and by his beloved wife Rosemary (Radigan) Adamek, and his step-daughter Monica Ward. He is survived by his daughter, Gretchen Adamek and her partner Lance Dellibovi, step-daughter Andria Ward, and his three grandchildren, Olivia “Miss Bear” Sullivan, Jake “The Jakester” Sullivan, and Alexander “Alexander Salamander the Commander” Sullivan; his brother Mark Adamek and his wife Gayle (Seppe) Adamek, his nephew Mark “ReMark” Adamek, and his partner Dana Long.

He was born in Newport, Rhode Island, where he and his family lived until they moved to Cranston, RI, where he graduated from Cranston High School. He went on to University of Rhode Island, where he graduated in 1961 with a degree in English. He started his career with a new wife and baby as a high school English teacher, which suited him like a wool suit in the Sahara. He moved forward with a job as a social worker, and from there he became a parole officer, and then director of two different halfway houses. He had found his calling. He fought for the underdog; he actually LIKED many of his parolees, including two former Black Panthers.

He loved Broadway—his love came from a high school girlfriend whose parents took him to see The Music Man, where he met Robert Preston. He chaperoned his daughter’s school class to see A Chorus Line, her senior year, and he took both his girls to see The Book of Mormon as a Christmas gift. He also loved music. His favorites were Harry Chapin and The Kingston Trio. Both Harry Chapin and The Kingston Trio dedicated a song to him on birthday concerts we attended. He also loved St Martin in the Caribbean, and gambling. He referred to his occasional Sunday jaunts to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun as “Going to church.”

He asked that we not remember his death, but instead have a party where the Tullamore Dew and Guinness will flow and where there will be music and laughter. Calling hours will be on Monday, November 27, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at the Manchester Funeral Home. A funeral service will be from 11:30 AM to 12:00 PM, followed by burial at Cedar Hill Cemetery in Hartford, CT. Post service we anticipate celebrating his life as he wished at The Pub Restaurant, 59 John Fitch Blvd., South Windsor, CT.

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