William Goralski, 85: Lifelong Avon Resident Overcame College Football Spine Injury

From Vincent Funeral Home

William J. Goralski, 85, loving husband of Norma (Neri) Goralski, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 at John Dempsey Hospital. The son of Polish immigrants who settled in Avon in 1910, Bill was the 10th of 11 children, and had resided in Avon his entire life. Bill was a talented athlete who excelled in three sports. He won a scholarship to Trinity School in New York City and there after attended Trinity College on a Brownell Scholarship. As Captain of Trinity’s Football Team, he played in the Thanksgiving Game at Tufts University in 1951, the last game of his senior year. As a running back, he took a throw from the quarterback and ran for a touchdown. A defensive back grabbed him by his ankle and he fell backwards into a somersault and two linemen fell on top of him. He fractured his cervical spine and damaged nerves. At age 21, he spent 133 days in the hospital. He finished college to get his degree. The Alumni Association raised money for all medical expenses and 8 of the 10 doctors who cared for him where Trinity grads and volunteered their services. Trinity paid for his senior year and for grad school until he obtained his Masters Degrees. For 30 years he taught Social Studies at Simsbury High School. At 43 he married Norma who taught 5th grade at Roaring Brook School. Bill retired in 1985 and wrote his first of six books: Growing up in Old Avon Center. His books involved stories of his youth in a small town as well as his traveled.

Besides his loving wife, he is survived by his daughter, Karen Covert and Dennis Lynch of Clinton; his sister, Rosemary DeSouza and her husband Philip of Canton; his sisters-in-law, Veronica and Aldona Goralski; his granddaughters, Lisa Hollinger, Jennifer Horan and Michele Covert; four great grandchildren and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brothers, Henry, Raymond and Joseph Goralski; his sisters, Stella Goralski, Julia Igoe, Agnes Vincent, Mary Comeau, Helen Capitani, Genevieve Maramarco and his son, Michael Covert.

A Funeral Service will be celebrated Saturday, December 20th, 12:00 Noon at the Vincent Funeral Home, 120 Albany Turnpike in Canton. Friends may call prior to the service from 10:00 AM to 12:00 Noon. Burial will follow in St. Ann’s Cemetery in Avon. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the William J. Goralski ’52 Scholarship Fund at Trinity College, Attn: Noelle Marcha, Trinity Fund, 300 Summit Street, Hartford, CT 06101 or at their website, trincoll.edu. Please visit Bill’s “Book of Memories” at www.vincentfuneralhome.com for online condolences.

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