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Edna (Hessinger) Mrowka, 102, of New Haven passed away peacefully on Monday, December 27, 2021 at Yale New Haven Hospital.
Edna was born on March 5, 1919, in New Haven to Julia (Tielert) Hessinger Adolphus Hessinger from Lithuania. Edna is survived by her children; sons Richard Mrowka (Shirley) of N. Madison, Robert F. Mrowka (Marie) of Seymour, and daughters Jacqueline Dioses (Vincent) of South Carolina and Jill J. Marchitto-Beecher (Gregg) of New Haven, as well as ten grandchildren and eighteen great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Joseph J. Mrowka and her daughter Nancy J. Pietraszuk (John).
Edna was a lifelong resident of New Haven. She attended school at the Strong Grammar School and Commercial High School in New Haven and graduated in 1937. She worked at Hendrix, Winchester’s, Bradlee’s Department Store and her favorite place James Hillhouse High School in the Library as a Librarian Assistant where she made many friends until she retired at the age of 92.
She was the district’s oldest employee. She stuck to a regimen she developed over the years: Bike 12 miles a day, drink no coffee, and“always like what you’re doing.”
For decades, Mrowka kept watch over the books in the school’s second-floor library, which is now equipped with computers and electronic scanners. She was one of the first staffers to show up to Hillhouse in the morning. (Click here to read an article about her service.)
Her interests included crocheting, watching UCONN girls basketball, going to Mohegan Sun and her favorite restaurant Olive Garden. She loved roses, and enjoyed going to children’s homes to celebrate life events. Edna will be dearly missed by everyone.