The publication is reproduced in full below:
HONORING THE LIFE AND SERVICE OF DOROTHY ANN MROWKA
______
HON. JOE COURTNEY
of connecticut
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Mr. COURTNEY. Madam Speaker, it is with great sadness that I rise today to honor the life of the late Dorothy Ann Mrowka, of Colchester, Connecticut, who passed away at her home on April 29, 2021 at the age of 78. Known by everyone as Dot, her involvement in the civic and cultural communities of eastern Connecticut made her beloved by many.
Born in New London, CT on October 13, 1942, Dot spent her entire life in eastern Connecticut. Committed to education, she earned a Masters degree in Business Administration which lead to a successful career as a computer programmer at AETNA insurance. She moved to Colchester in 1973 and then married her beloved husband Lucien Mrowka a short time later. They were married for 38 years before he sadly predeceased her in 2012.
Truly, there is not an organization in Colchester that has not been touched by Dot. She was a devout parishioner at St. Andrews Church serving on the Ladies Guild and the First Friday Rosary Guild. Dot was an active member of both the St. Joseph's Polish Society and Colchester Grange No. 78. She was very involved with the Colchester Democratic Town Committee, and the Federation of Democratic Women. She was the recipient of the Ella Grasso award by Connecticut Democrats not once, but twice and selected to serve on the Democratic State Central Committee. Her service to the community did not stop there. Dot was a fierce defender of a free and fair election and served Colchester residents as the Registrar of Voter for 25 years. Many happy marriages began with her proclamation of ``I now pronounce you husband and wife'' as she served as a Justice of the Peace. Her selfless service to her community is unparalleled.
I met Dot early in my career in Congress, and her friendship over the years has been invaluable. There are few in this district that knew their community as well as Dot did. She was a tireless campaign volunteer who never shied away from all the ``nuts and bolts'' of organizing a headquarters, leading phone banks, lit drops or election day logistics. The election eve ``get out the vote'' spaghetti supper at the Colchester Polish Club was a must stop for Democratic candidates at every level--including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in 2006. The void her passing leaves is unmeasurable. I know her memory will continue through her family--her son Jeffrey Watson; her daughter, Tammy and her husband Ricky Keller; her brother Joseph Ploszaj; her sisters Peggy Fedus and Mary Lou Johnson, and her two beloved grandchildren Tyler Kelly and Taylor Watson.
Madam Speaker, it is an honor to represent constituents as honorable and impactful as Dot. While we all mourn her loss, we can at least find solace that her story, memory, and purpose lives on in through countless others. I find it fitting that we, the People's House, add her name and character into the Congressional Record and ask that the entire House join me in recognizing the life of Dorothy Ann Mrowka, never forgetting the importance of building our connections with others.
____________________
SOURCE: Congressional Record Vol. 167, No. 91
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