Rev. Gerald H. Dziedzic

Rev. Gerald H. Dziedzic, 78, longtime resident of Southington, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 25, 2026 after a brief illness.

Gerald was born on August 11, 1947, in Terryville, CT, only son of the late Henry and Ethel (Kulesa) Dziedzic.

Fr. Dziedzic, a priest for over 51 years, began his studies for priesthood at St. Thomas Seminary in Bloomfield and continued at Mount Saint Mary Seminary in Maryland and St. John Seminary in Massachusetts. He was ordained a priest by Archbishop John Whealon at Saint Joseph Cathedral in Hartford on May 25, 1974.

His first priestly assignments in the Archdiocese of Hartford included assisting at St. Lawrence O’Toole Parish (Hartford) and St. Stanislaus (Bristol). In 1996, he began his first assignment as pastor, ministering at Immaculate Conception (Terryville) which eventually also included St. Casimir (Terryville). His later assignments as pastor included St. Joseph/St. Mary (Meriden) and Our Lady of the Lakes Parish/St. Francis Xavier (New Milford). In addition to his parish ministry, he also served as Chaplain of Our Lady of Mercy Academy in Milford (1983-1995), as well as in other Archdiocesan roles within the Presbyteral Council and College of Consultors, advising the Archbishop on matters of importance. In August 2022, he was granted senior priest status and retired from active ministry.

Fr. Dziedzic served as a Captain in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1986 -1987. He loved UCONN basketball, the NY Yankees and being outdoors; especially attending to his gardens. He is survived by a large loving extended family.

In lieu of flowers, donations in Fr. Dziedzic’s memory may be made to Archbishop’s Annual Appeal, 467 Bloomfield Avenue, Bloomfield, CT 06002 (https://archdioceseofhartford.org/donations/).

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 6 2026 at St. Aloysius Church, 254 Burritt St., Plantsville. Family and friends are asked to meet directly at church. Burial with military honors will follow in the Immaculate Conception Cemetery, Southington. There are no calling hours. Plantsville Funeral Home has been entrusted with handling the arrangements. For online condolences and directions, please visit www.plantsvillefuneralhome.com.