It is with great sadness that we share that our dearest Ojciec Peter passed away last Sunday afternoon in the comfort of his home. We are still assembling some of our favorite memories to share with you on this post, but wanted to share the details of his funeral arrangements.

Family and friends may visit the Guilford Funeral Home 115 Church St, Guilford on Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024 for calling hours from 4pm-7pm. Funeral service of thanksgiving and joy for the gift of his life will be held Wednesday, January 24th at 11am at the St. Margaret’s Catholic Church 24 Academy St, Madison, CT with a short burial ceremony to follow at Alder Brook Cemetery. NOTE: Lunch reception after burial at the Guilford Mooring
505 Whitfield St, Guilford, CT 06437 from 1-3pm.

Peter “Piotr” Kaluza of Madison, loving husband, father and entrepreneur passed away in the early afternoon of January 14th, 2024 due to a sudden heart failure triggered by COVID. Born the elder of 2 children in Krakow, Poland on Jan 25th, 1952 to the late Władysława and Włodzimierz Kaluza, Peter leaves behind his devoted son Simon, favorite niece Alexa Cervo of Madison, his sister Magdalena Fiszer as well as a close-knit group of family and friends.

Peter loved his home city of Krakow with all his heart. Some of his fondest memories were of playing soccer as a boy on the same fields as his legendary uncle Józef Kałuża. That said, the Cold War wrought unique challenges upon his generation. His family spoke vocally for Polish freedom during its occupations and supported an underground radio station. This resistance cost his family dearly and Peter saw many of his family and friends “disappear” due to their politics – these experiences instilled a guarded mindset in Peter, especially when it came to bureaucracies and authoritarianism. Even so, his parents helped pierce the “iron curtain” with religion, arts, and tradition. He tore through novels and books of all kinds voraciously, and to this day his library of books on every topic remained his greatest passion.

Peter met his wife Cecelia, a Massachusetts native, while she was studying in Krakow and married her on May 9th 1975. Shortly thereafter he returned with her to the US where he worked as a printer in Massachusetts. He and Cecelia moved to Madison CT and founded a travel agency together in 1989 to share their passion for spiritual travel. They built a wonderful family in the years in-between. Though they faced great hardship brought on by illness in the twilight years of their life together, Peter’s unfaltering devotion and sacrifice for his family and friends inspired us all.

In addition to his immediate family, Peter also leaves behind his daughter-in-law Nicolette Kaluza (with grandson on the way!), many loving nieces, nephews, cousins and friends (especially his dear life-long friends from the Bergander family). He was predeceased by his beloved wife Cecelia Kaluza as well as his parents. Family and friends may visit the Guilford Funeral Home 115 Church St, Guilford on Tuesday, January 23rd, 2024 from 4pm-7pm. Funeral service of thanksgiving and joy for the gift of his life will be held Wednesday, January 24th at 11am at the St. Margaret’s Catholic Church 24 Academy St, Madison, CT with a short burial ceremony to follow at Alder Brook Cemetery.