Frank “Chico” J. Zielinski, age 60, of Derby, entered into rest on Saturday, December 12, 2009, at Griffin Hospital in Derby.
He is the beloved husband of 37 years of Genevieve “Ginger” (Kurtyka) Zielinski. Chico was born in Milford on January 7, 1949, son of the Josephine (Narowski) Zielinski and the late Joseph Zielinski, and he lived in Derby since his marriage.
Chico was a longtime firefighter, starting at age 16, and was the chief driver for the Hotchkiss Hose Fire Company in Derby, which he served with since 1996. He was a foreman with the Highway Department for the Town of Orange. He belonged to the AM Club in Derby and the Birmingham Fire Association, and was an avid fan of NASCAR and loved going to races. He enjoyed collecting Fireman memorabilia and traveling, particularly to Vermont and on cruises.
He is the beloved father of Robert Zielinski and his wife Jennifer, and Jennifer L. Zielinski. He adored his cherished grandchildren, Christopher “CJ”Matto, and Andrew and Matthew Zielinski. He is also survived by a sister, Victoria Fryer of Milford. Chico was also be sadly missed by his beloved yellow lab, Lady.
Friends are invited on Thursday to join the family for a Mass of Christian Burial at 11 AM at St. Michael’s Church in Derby. Burial will follow at St. Michael’s Cemetery.
Contributions can be made to the Hotchkiss Hose Fire Company, 200 David Humphrey Road, Derby, CT 06418, or to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, 120 Wall Street, 19th Floor, New York, NY 10005.
