Tadeusz Koszela

Tadeusz “Ted”  Koszela, 88, passed on peacefully in the company of loving family on July 27, 2023, in Chesterfield, MA.

            Born to Emilia (Magdzinska) and Stefan Koszela in Poland, Ted was the youngest of three children.  From an early age, he exhibited his adventurous spirit; no doubt he would have toddled off into the wide world before the age of one, had his parents not owned a gentle and watchful horse that would pick him up by the collar and deposit him, yet again, closer to the house.  He was destined to travel a bit further than his yard in due time.

            His family of five lived through the horrors of WWII, and made their way to the United States, where they ultimately settled in western Massachusetts.  Ted became a jack of all trades, contributing to the family farm, and working in the construction trades.  In spite of some close calls – lost fingers, falling off of (somewhat high) bridges under construction - he always bounced back to return to his passion: fishing.  Surf fishing, deep ocean fishing, river or lake fishing, Ted could and would fill the family freezers with the bounty of his fishing skills, often driving non-stop to get to those waters, whether it be a jetty in Rhode Island, a boat in Florida, or the banks of Caballo Lake in New Mexico.

            Everyone who met Ted found him to be a friendly, generous, and fun human being.  He would help anyone in need and would literally give you the shirt off of his back.  He was great with kids and would initiate trips to the beach with his nieces and nephews and their parents every summer. His ebullient and fun-loving nature will be missed by all…but the fish are feeling luckier.

            Ted was predeceased by his parents, and his niece, Christine Fila, and leaves behind his sisters, Elizabeth “Irene” Fila of Silver City, NM, and Marianna “Mary” Dudkiewicz of Southampton, MA;  his nephews Richard Dudkiewicz and wife Elaine, and Henry Dudkiewicz, all of Easthampton, Ma, and nieces Barbara Fila of Silver City, NM, and Barbara McColgan and husband Matthew of Chesterfield, MA, as well as several grandnieces and grandnephews, and so many others who loved him.

            Calling hours will take place at Mitchell Funeral Home,15 Park Street, Easthampton, MA, on Friday, August 11, from 4:00 to 6:00PM. Pease bring your favorite memory of Ted, and, in lieu of flowers, a donation may be made in Ted's memory to the Make-A-Wish Foundation 133 Federal 2nd floor Boston, Ma 02114 or massri.wish.org in hopes of fulfilling a child’s wish to experience a deep sea fishing excursion.

            Many heartfelt thanks to Morgan Mitchell of Mitchell Funeral Home for facilitating arrangements with kindness and compassion, and to the hospice nurses and personal home health aides that extended such loving care toward Ted. The Mitchell Funeral Home www.mitchellcofuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Tadeusz Koszela, please visit our floral store.