George Kalinowski

George J. Kalinowski RPh, of 95 Norwood Rd., Bristol died peacefully in his sleep on Monday, (November 24, 2008), at Ingraham Manor Nursing Home, Bristol after a courageous 13 month battle with rectal cancer. He was the beloved husband for 66 years of Helen (Stankiewicz) Kalinowski and the father of George M. Kalinowski RPh. George was born to the late Joseph and Constance (Pentlicki) Kalinowski November 27, 1922 in Torrington, CT at the house of his maternal grandmother. This house served as the family birthing house for everyone on that side of the family who was born in Connecticut. He had been a resident of Bristol since 1948. George was raised in New Britain, CT and attended New Britain High School. He married his wife Helen in 1942 and in 1943 enlisted in the United States Army Air Force (USAAF). He served in North Africa and Italy with the 15th Air Force, 5th Bomb Wing, 339th SVC Squadron. While in Italy, shortly before the war ended George volunteered to join a Special Forces group for a mission behind enemy lines, that necessitated him being transferred from the USAAF into the U.S. Army for paperwork purposes. With the war in Europe ending in May 1945, George remained in Italy until early 1946 when he returned home to New Britain, CT. After returning home, George attended and graduated from Cheshire Academy and then entered the University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy at Storrs, CT in 1951, graduating with a B.S. in Pharmacy in 1955. During the next 5+ years George worked as a relief pharmacist, at pharmacies in Bristol and New Britain; allowing pharmacy owners to be able to have a day off from their "open 7 days a week" businesses. In 1960 George partnered with John J. Connelly to purchase the Boulevard Pharmacy at 98 Main St., Bristol, CT , that was owned by Joseph Masterbone. George and John were co-owners, with George being the pharmacy manager. It was a traditional, old fashioned pharmacy with a marble soda fountain and mahogany booths that was known to make the best chocolate sodas in Bristol. Downtown Bristol Redevelopment saw the Boulevard Pharmacy move for 2 years to the corner of Main St. and School St. Then in 1972, Boulevard Pharmacy made it's last move, to Mafale's Plaza at 53 Main St. George was an innovator and forward looking person when it came to pharmacy. He computerized his pharmacy department in 1976, being the first pharmacy in Bristol, the fifth in Connecticut and one of the first dozen in the nation to fully computerize prescription record keeping, labeling and insurance billing. George was always a proponent of preventative care and alternative medicine. In the early 1980's, Boulevard Pharmacy was well established as the leading pharmacy in the region for homeopathic products, herbal remedies and vitamins. In 1991, George's son took over the ownership of Boulevard Pharmacy and for the next four years, George worked for his son, until the business was sold in 1995 and both father and son semi-retired from the profession of pharmacy to pursue other business interests. In 1981 there were 18 independent pharmacies in the Bristol area. When Boulevard Pharmacy closed in 1995, it was the last, 100% independent pharmacy in Bristol. George truly loved working as pharmacist. He worked seven days a week and always enjoyed working Sunday mornings so he could see patients and customers who only came to the pharmacy on Sundays. George had many other interests besides pharmacy. He was a real estate developer, general contractor, landlord and property manager in Bristol . He partnered with his predeceased brother Joseph Kalinowski to build several apartment complexes in both Bristol and New Britain, CT. He was first, a member and then, the Chairman of the City of Bristol, Zoning Board of Appeals in a term that spanned 15 years with reappointments by both Democrat and Republican administrations. He was an importer of Eastern Bloc books and publications from the 1960's thru the 1980's. He traveled to Poland 17 times and was an importer of Polish made goods to the USA for many years. He also was a keen genealogist and had traced his family name back to the 13th century. From 1995 until 2007 George concentrated his attention on managing several rental properties that he owned in Bristol. He will be remembered as a person who never wanted to relax or stop working, keeping that desire true until his diagnosis in the summer of 2007. Private funeral and burial arrangements are under the direction of the Plantsville Memorial Funeral Home, 975 S. Main St., Plantsville, CT.