Joseph G Kovaleski

Joseph G. Kovaleski, age 95, died early the morning of June 4, 2019 at his home in Wolcott, Connecticut.
 
Mr. Kovaleski is preceded in death by his wife, Adele. He is survived by six children: Judy Kovaleski-Swartz, (Bob Swartz), Kirta Kovaleski, Peter Kovaleski (Jean Oliva), Janet Bartolini, (Richard Bartolini), Marion Kovaleski LeMay and Alison Kovaleski. He also leaves behind eight grandchildren: Heather Herrington, Kate Wasch, Rachel Harrington, Allan and Izzy Bartolini and Marcel, Nathan and Ryan LeMay, as well as six great-grandchildren:  Alek, Juliette and Evangeline Thiede, Finch and Ketch Herrington and Dylan Bartolini LaBoudy.
 
Joe grew up in Thomaston, Connecticut, one of four children of Mary and Dominic Kovaleski. He is a veteran of World War II, where he served in the U.S. Navy from 1943 to 1947.  After his military service, he married Adele Galbogis, in 1950.
 
Joe worked as a model maker for Seth Thomas and Penn Keystone. He was part of the team that fashioned the blue landing light on NASA’s LEM module that landed on the moon in 1969. After the team was unable to source material for it in the required blue color, he used a slice of his daughter Kirta’s marble to get the color just right.
 
Joe built his first home and was also fond of woodworking. In his workshop he made items such as chairs and tables, as well as two U.S. maps using the state wood of each state. He also made nutcrackers, as well as other crafts. In his earlier years, Joe was fond of crossword puzzles, and more recently, his passion was for jigsaw puzzles.
 
The services will be private.