Alfons Joachim Kwidzinski, 92, of Sandy Hook died November 9. He was born in Danzig, Germany (now Gdansk, Poland) on July 18, 1925. His last two years were spent as a resident at Masonicare at Newtown.

His wife of 69 years, Winnie Loding Kwidzinski; his children, Irene Kwidzinski, Herb Kinsmann and his wife Jennifer, and Michael Kwidzinski and his wife Amy; and two grandchildren, Jesse and Brooke, survive him. He is also survived by his family in Hamburg, Germany, including his brother- and sister-in-law Walter and Helga Loding and their daughter, as well as his family in Gdansk, including his sister-in-law Monika Kwidzinski, a nephew and his wife, a niece and her husband, two great-nieces, and a great-nephew.

His parents, Maria and Joseph Kwidzinski; his siblings, Irene, Paul, and Hans; and a niece predeceased him.

Mr Kwidzinski was born during difficult and challenging times. His childhood was impacted by the Great Depression and World War II. He was drafted into the German Navy at the age of 17 and never saw his parents again.

He was an engineer in the Navy and after the war worked on British minesweepers in the North Sea. He worked for the Hamburg Blohm-Voss shipyards before emigrating to the United States in 1952. In New York, Mr Kwidzinski worked as a tool and die maker and in construction on multiple projects, including the George Washington Bridge. In 1964, after relocating to Connecticut, he established Ideal Contracting, a residential construction business. Later, he worked as a tool and die maker for Westinghouse and built robots at Unimation.

He was able to bring his brother Hans and his wife Monika to the United States for a visit in 1974, and Mr Kwidzinski and Winnie were able to visit his family in Gdansk in 1994. They were able to visit family during several trips to Germany, and his German family members visited the United States, as well.

Mr Kwidzinski was proud to be a naturalized citizen of the United States and celebrated the anniversary of his arrival every year. He always exercised his privilege to vote and felt that he was a very fortunate man. He treasured and was very proud of his family. He not only achieved his dream of designing and building his dream home, he did it twice. He worked hard all of his life and was awed by all that he had experienced in his 92 years.

The family would like to extend its heartfelt thanks to the staff at Masonicare who took such good care of him. His loved ones say the staff and the residents' relatives became family and were so supportive.

The family will receive friends at the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street, Newtown, on Saturday, November 18, from 10 am to noon. Burial will take place immediately after at Newtown Village Cemetery, 22 Elm Drive, Newtown.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Mr Kwidzinski's name may be made to Masonicare At Newtown, 139 Toddy Hill Road, Newtown CT 06482 or to a charity of one's choice.