Joseph "Jake" "Jake" Podgurski

Joseph "Jake" Podgurski, 90, son of Michael and Agnes Podgurski, of Cos Cob, peacefully passed during the afternoon of Sunday, December 1, 2013, after a long struggle against Alzheimer's Disease at Greenwich Woods Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center. Born on September 3, 1923, in Greenwich, the brother of Stan, Michael, and Ann, all deceased, he is survived by his loving wife, Josephine; his six daughters, Therese, Linda, Paulette, Christine, Mary, and Carolyn; and two sons, Jack and David, all of whom reside in Connecticut. He also leaves behind three cherished grandsons: Stephen, Daniel and Jarrett. Jake graduated from Greenwich High School in 1942, and served in the U.S. Navy as a Coxswain aboard merchant ships in the Second World War, during which he would twice circumnavigate the globe. Following his service, he was employed by the Town of Greenwich for four decades, and, a deeply devout Catholic, worshipped as a longtime parishioner at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Riverside. A great lover of animals, he was a lifelong gardener possessed of a remarkable work ethic, and a deeply inquisitive reader, found nose-deep, daily, in his beloved New York Times, and revisiting passages from the Bible time and time again. Those seeking to offer their remembrances and condolences to the family may visit Greenwich's Leo P. Gallagher & Son Funeral Home, at 31 Arch Street, Thursday, December 5th, from 6-8 p.m. Mass and funeral services will follow the next morning, Friday, December 6th, at 11 a.m., at St. Catherine of Siena in Riverside, CT. Interment will be private. To leave an online condolence please visit www.leopgallaghergreenwich.com