Mrs. Lena Officer

WATERBURY - It is with great sadness and broken hearts that the family of Lena Officer, age 91, of Waterbury, announces her passing on Monday, March 25th, 2024. She was the widow of George J. Officer, who passed away at the young age of 35, leaving Lena to raise her family as a strong single mother.
 
 Lena was born August 2, 1932, in Waterbury, CT daughter of the late Frank and Lillian (Porcelli) Castaldi. Lena was a graduate of Waterbury Catholic High School and held various jobs throughout the Waterbury area, including a lunch lady at Sacred Heart High School, but was well known and will be famously remembered in the East End of Waterbury as the Bakery Manager at the former Helen's Bakery, later known as Desidario's bakery.
 
 Lena was blessed to be a strong and proud cancer survivor.
 
 Lena was a former member of the Sacred Heart High School Parents Club and a member of the Saints Peter and Paul Madonna Guild. She was a devout Catholic who believed in the Power of Prayer and watched the daily mass via the ORTV faithfully every day. Lena felt especially blessed to be the grandmother of three and great-grandmother of two. Your family thanks you, Mom, for every prayer you uttered for us, the many sacrifices you made, the thousands of hugs you shared, and the forever love you instilled in all of us. Lena will be deeply missed, but her warmth, kindness, and generosity will be forever remembered by all who were blessed to know and love her. May her soul rest in eternal peace.
 
 Left to honor her memory and cherish her legacy are her children, Kristin Officer of Waterbury, with whom she made her home, Karen Hanas also of Waterbury and George Officer and his wife, Kathleen of Fort Myers, FL,. She also leaves her 3 grandchildren; John Hanas {Kelly}, Kasey Officer-Duncan {Mike) and Hanna Clay {Josh} and great-granddaughters Grace Hanas and Chloe Clay. She also leaves her Sister in law, Marie Castaldi, nieces and nephews; Donna Freyer (Joe) Debbie Collins, Jeffrey Castaldi (Beth) Steven Castaldi (Linda) and Several grand nieces and nephews as well as her very dear friend, Shirley and her fur baby and companion, Theo. Lena was predeceased by her son-in-law, John Hanas, her siblings Vincent Castaldi, Philomena Bredice, and Mary Rinaldi(Mario) and nephews; Dr Frank Bredice and Dr Anthony Rinaldi.
 
Funeral services for Mrs. Lena Officer will be held on Monday, April 1, 2024, at 9:30 a.m. from Casey's Eastside Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Care 1987 East Main St Waterbury to the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception Church, 74 West Main St Waterbury to celebrate a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery Waterbury. Relatives and friends may visit with the Officer family on Sunday, March 31st, 2024, from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and on Monday, April 1st from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m at the funeral home. To honor Lena's memory donations to the ORTV Archdiocese of Hartford Office of Radio and Television at www.ortv.org would be greatly appreciated by her family. Loving kindness is always welcome, and it only takes a moment to offer a message of condolence or words of comfort or share a memory of someone important to you with your family and friends. Please visit the funeral home's tribute page at www.caseyfunerals.com to do so. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the Officer family, please visit our Sympathy Store. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Mrs. Lena Officer, please visit our flower store.