James A. Baldyga, 60, of New Britain, loving companion of Deborah Anderson for 30 years, died unexpectedly Saturday (June 5, 2010) in Avon. Born in Casper, Wyoming, son of the late Edward and Lillian Baldyga, he lived in New Britain most of his life. A graduate of New Britain High School, Class of 1969, he attended Porter & Chester Institute and was a devoted Firefighter in the New Britain Fire Department for the past 24 years, currently stationed with Engine 4. Jim was an avid hunter, fisherman and boater.
Besides his loving companion Deborah, he leaves four brothers, Joseph Baldyga in Florida; John Baldyga and his wife Samantha in North Carolina; Jeffrey Baldyga in New Hampshire; and Jerome Baldyga and his wife Theresa of Terryville; several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services are Friday 8:15 AM at Carlson Funeral Home, 45 Franklin Square, New Britain, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial 9 AM at St. Joseph's Church, New Britain. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Plainville.
Calling hours are Thursday 5 to 8 PM at Carlson Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 5 Brookside Drive, Wallingford, CT 06492.
NEW BRITAIN — Members of the city's fire department are mourning the death of James Baldyga, a longtime firefighter who died Saturday while fishing on the Farmington River.
"He was a good fireman, he always wanted to be the first through the door," said long-time friend Robert Scarlett who works at Station Four. "He was an excellent driver too, there was none better."
Baldyga, 60, was an avid fisherman, hunter and outdoorsman who would often fish in the Farmington River in his time off from the department. He was found in the water in Avon near New Road by a friend about noon Saturday.
He had already passed away by the time firefighters from Avon and Burlington pulled his body from the river. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Monday Baldyga died of natural causes from complications of heart disease.
He left behind his longtime companion Deborah Anderson and four brothers, Joseph Baldyga of Florida, John Baldyga and his wife, Samantha, of North Carolina, Jeffrey Baldyga of New Hampshire, and Jerome Baldyga and his wife, Theresa, of Terryville and several nieces and nephews.
Baldyga was a New Britain firefighter for close to 25 years, most recently working at Station Four.
"He was a very nice guy, always willing to help out," said Deputy Fire Chief Peter Margentino. "He loved his fishing. I suppose if he was going to go, that was a good place for him to go."
Both Scarlett and Margentino had known Baldyga for decades. They said he sought a career in firefighting and kept at it until he was hired at the age of 35 in his hometown department.
"He wanted to be a fireman for a long time," Scarlett said. "And he wanted to stay in New Britain where he grew up."
He was the type of guy who would come out in a snowstorm if you had car trouble on the New Jersey Turnpike and was well-liked on and off the job, Scarlett said.
"The fire department isn't like any other job where you go your separate ways at the end of the day," Scarlett said. "We live together and the bonds are close. It's like losing a family member. He loved the job and loved being a firefighter."
Funeral services are Friday at 8:15 a.m. at Carlson Funeral Home followed by a Mass at St. Joseph Church in New Britain. Calling hours are Thursday at Carlson Funeral Home from 5 to 8 p.m.
Besides his loving companion Deborah, he leaves four brothers, Joseph Baldyga in Florida; John Baldyga and his wife Samantha in North Carolina; Jeffrey Baldyga in New Hampshire; and Jerome Baldyga and his wife Theresa of Terryville; several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services are Friday 8:15 AM at Carlson Funeral Home, 45 Franklin Square, New Britain, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial 9 AM at St. Joseph's Church, New Britain. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Plainville.
Calling hours are Thursday 5 to 8 PM at Carlson Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 5 Brookside Drive, Wallingford, CT 06492.
NEW BRITAIN — Members of the city's fire department are mourning the death of James Baldyga, a longtime firefighter who died Saturday while fishing on the Farmington River.
"He was a good fireman, he always wanted to be the first through the door," said long-time friend Robert Scarlett who works at Station Four. "He was an excellent driver too, there was none better."
Baldyga, 60, was an avid fisherman, hunter and outdoorsman who would often fish in the Farmington River in his time off from the department. He was found in the water in Avon near New Road by a friend about noon Saturday.
He had already passed away by the time firefighters from Avon and Burlington pulled his body from the river. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Monday Baldyga died of natural causes from complications of heart disease.
He left behind his longtime companion Deborah Anderson and four brothers, Joseph Baldyga of Florida, John Baldyga and his wife, Samantha, of North Carolina, Jeffrey Baldyga of New Hampshire, and Jerome Baldyga and his wife, Theresa, of Terryville and several nieces and nephews.
Baldyga was a New Britain firefighter for close to 25 years, most recently working at Station Four.
"He was a very nice guy, always willing to help out," said Deputy Fire Chief Peter Margentino. "He loved his fishing. I suppose if he was going to go, that was a good place for him to go."
Both Scarlett and Margentino had known Baldyga for decades. They said he sought a career in firefighting and kept at it until he was hired at the age of 35 in his hometown department.
"He wanted to be a fireman for a long time," Scarlett said. "And he wanted to stay in New Britain where he grew up."
He was the type of guy who would come out in a snowstorm if you had car trouble on the New Jersey Turnpike and was well-liked on and off the job, Scarlett said.
"The fire department isn't like any other job where you go your separate ways at the end of the day," Scarlett said. "We live together and the bonds are close. It's like losing a family member. He loved the job and loved being a firefighter."
Funeral services are Friday at 8:15 a.m. at Carlson Funeral Home followed by a Mass at St. Joseph Church in New Britain. Calling hours are Thursday at Carlson Funeral Home from 5 to 8 p.m.
James A. Baldyga, 60, of New Britain, loving companion of Deborah Anderson for 30 years, died unexpectedly Saturday (June 5, 2010) in Avon. Born in Casper, Wyoming, son of the late Edward and Lillian Baldyga, he lived in New Britain most of his life. A graduate of New Britain High School, Class of 1969, he attended Porter & Chester Institute and was a devoted Firefighter in the New Britain Fire Department for the past 24 years, currently stationed with Engine 4. Jim was an avid hunter, fisherman and boater.
Besides his loving companion Deborah, he leaves four brothers, Joseph Baldyga in Florida; John Baldyga and his wife Samantha in North Carolina; Jeffrey Baldyga in New Hampshire; and Jerome Baldyga and his wife Theresa of Terryville; several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services are Friday 8:15 AM at Carlson Funeral Home, 45 Franklin Square, New Britain, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial 9 AM at St. Joseph's Church, New Britain. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Plainville.
Calling hours are Thursday 5 to 8 PM at Carlson Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 5 Brookside Drive, Wallingford, CT 06492.
NEW BRITAIN — Members of the city's fire department are mourning the death of James Baldyga, a longtime firefighter who died Saturday while fishing on the Farmington River.
"He was a good fireman, he always wanted to be the first through the door," said long-time friend Robert Scarlett who works at Station Four. "He was an excellent driver too, there was none better."
Baldyga, 60, was an avid fisherman, hunter and outdoorsman who would often fish in the Farmington River in his time off from the department. He was found in the water in Avon near New Road by a friend about noon Saturday.
He had already passed away by the time firefighters from Avon and Burlington pulled his body from the river. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Monday Baldyga died of natural causes from complications of heart disease.
He left behind his longtime companion Deborah Anderson and four brothers, Joseph Baldyga of Florida, John Baldyga and his wife, Samantha, of North Carolina, Jeffrey Baldyga of New Hampshire, and Jerome Baldyga and his wife, Theresa, of Terryville and several nieces and nephews.
Baldyga was a New Britain firefighter for close to 25 years, most recently working at Station Four.
"He was a very nice guy, always willing to help out," said Deputy Fire Chief Peter Margentino. "He loved his fishing. I suppose if he was going to go, that was a good place for him to go."
Both Scarlett and Margentino had known Baldyga for decades. They said he sought a career in firefighting and kept at it until he was hired at the age of 35 in his hometown department.
"He wanted to be a fireman for a long time," Scarlett said. "And he wanted to stay in New Britain where he grew up."
He was the type of guy who would come out in a snowstorm if you had car trouble on the New Jersey Turnpike and was well-liked on and off the job, Scarlett said.
"The fire department isn't like any other job where you go your separate ways at the end of the day," Scarlett said. "We live together and the bonds are close. It's like losing a family member. He loved the job and loved being a firefighter."
Funeral services are Friday at 8:15 a.m. at Carlson Funeral Home followed by a Mass at St. Joseph Church in New Britain. Calling hours are Thursday at Carlson Funeral Home from 5 to 8 p.m.
Besides his loving companion Deborah, he leaves four brothers, Joseph Baldyga in Florida; John Baldyga and his wife Samantha in North Carolina; Jeffrey Baldyga in New Hampshire; and Jerome Baldyga and his wife Theresa of Terryville; several nieces and nephews.
Funeral services are Friday 8:15 AM at Carlson Funeral Home, 45 Franklin Square, New Britain, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial 9 AM at St. Joseph's Church, New Britain. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Plainville.
Calling hours are Thursday 5 to 8 PM at Carlson Funeral Home.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Heart Association, 5 Brookside Drive, Wallingford, CT 06492.
NEW BRITAIN — Members of the city's fire department are mourning the death of James Baldyga, a longtime firefighter who died Saturday while fishing on the Farmington River.
"He was a good fireman, he always wanted to be the first through the door," said long-time friend Robert Scarlett who works at Station Four. "He was an excellent driver too, there was none better."
Baldyga, 60, was an avid fisherman, hunter and outdoorsman who would often fish in the Farmington River in his time off from the department. He was found in the water in Avon near New Road by a friend about noon Saturday.
He had already passed away by the time firefighters from Avon and Burlington pulled his body from the river. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner said Monday Baldyga died of natural causes from complications of heart disease.
He left behind his longtime companion Deborah Anderson and four brothers, Joseph Baldyga of Florida, John Baldyga and his wife, Samantha, of North Carolina, Jeffrey Baldyga of New Hampshire, and Jerome Baldyga and his wife, Theresa, of Terryville and several nieces and nephews.
Baldyga was a New Britain firefighter for close to 25 years, most recently working at Station Four.
"He was a very nice guy, always willing to help out," said Deputy Fire Chief Peter Margentino. "He loved his fishing. I suppose if he was going to go, that was a good place for him to go."
Both Scarlett and Margentino had known Baldyga for decades. They said he sought a career in firefighting and kept at it until he was hired at the age of 35 in his hometown department.
"He wanted to be a fireman for a long time," Scarlett said. "And he wanted to stay in New Britain where he grew up."
He was the type of guy who would come out in a snowstorm if you had car trouble on the New Jersey Turnpike and was well-liked on and off the job, Scarlett said.
"The fire department isn't like any other job where you go your separate ways at the end of the day," Scarlett said. "We live together and the bonds are close. It's like losing a family member. He loved the job and loved being a firefighter."
Funeral services are Friday at 8:15 a.m. at Carlson Funeral Home followed by a Mass at St. Joseph Church in New Britain. Calling hours are Thursday at Carlson Funeral Home from 5 to 8 p.m.
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