Obituary of Paul John Gacek

Paul John Gacek was born in New Britain, Ct. to the late Mary (Kochanowicz) Gacek and the late John Jacob Gacek on June 29,1945. He grew up in Berlin, CT. He attended Berlin High School and graduated in 1963. Paul was the first in the history of the school to be awarded a national merit scholarship. He went on to earn his BA in music history from Yale University in New Haven. While at Yale he was the founder, first president and Principal Violinist of the Yale Symphony Orchestra. Mr. Gacek studied orchestral conducting with Gustav Meier. Upon graduation Paul moved to New Haven. He served as Musical Director for many theatrical productions in the New Haven area, at the Yale Dramatic Association and Southbury Playhouse. He worked in Admissions for Yale New Haven from 1970 to 1988 and worked as a Technical Programming Specialist for the Yale New Haven Health System from 1989 to 2007. He was an accomplished scuba diver, a member of the Fairfield County Diving Association, serving as its treasurer and an avid wreck diver and videographer. Paul served as Music Director for the Hamden Symphony Orchestra from 1969 to 2007 and continued as Conductor Laureate. Paul is survived by his brother Daniel Christopher Gacek a.k.a. Christopher Daniels of New York City and Asbury Park, NJ., Aniela (Gacek) Misteri, his Aunt, of Berlin CT. and numerous cousins. He is preceded in death by his father, John J. Gacek and his mother Mary (Kochanowicz) Gacek. Funeral service will be held Wednesday January 6th at 1:00PM at the Farrell Funeral Home 110 Franklin Sq. New Britain. Reverend John Granato of St. Katharine Drexel Parish will be officiating. Burial will be private in Sacred Heart Cemetery in New Britain, CT. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Yale Symphony Orchestra. c/o Yale University, Office of Development-Contributions Processing, P.O.Box 2038, New Haven, CT 06521-2038.