Kenneth Gwozdz of Glastonbury, son of the late Adam and Jane Gwozdz, passed away Monday, April 28, 2014. Ken leaves his wife of 27 years, Dana Vaughan Gwozdz, brother Augie Gwozdz and his wife Joanne, and sister Patricia Miano and her husband Billy. Ken leaves his brother-in-law and sister-in-law Tom and Michele Vaughan, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Lucille Vaughan Sclafani and Patrick Sclafani, brother-in-law and sister-in-law Greg and Sue Vaughan. Uncle Kenny will be sorely missed by his nieces and nephews Sarah Gabrenas, her husband Jason and their daughter Ella, David Gwozdz, Max Vaughan, Ann Patrice (AP) and Marie Sclafani, and Graham Vaughan. In addition to his parents, Kenny was predeceased by his brother-in-law, Robert Vaughan. Ken was an educator in the East Hartford High School system for 35 years. During that time Ken served as teacher, coach, activities director, and interim assistant principal. He maintained contact with and helped many of his former students. His proudest accomplishment was establishing the Student Assistance Center in 1992. This nationally awarded program, whose purpose is to help students reach their potential safely and peacefully, uses peer mediation to solve conflicts before they become violent. Fights and suspensions were reduced by 50% in the first few years of the program while Ken served as Director. The program was one of only seven in the country to be recognized by USA Today in 1995 out of thousands of applications submitted nation-wide. Kenny was one of the most generous and giving people one would ever meet and volunteered for years at Natchaug Hospital’s Journey House, giving at-risk young women the opportunity to enjoy cultural and educational experiences they might not otherwise have. He was on the Board of Directors for the Hartford Wolf Pack Community Foundation, providing grant money to numerous youth organizations. He also worked part-time as a contractor for the Department of Children and Families establishing Project Connect which helped young people on parole transition back to school or work. Ken received his Bachelors and Masters degrees from the University of Hartford where he was a two sport athlete. He was elected to the UHart Athletic Hall of Fame for both basketball and baseball. He was the school’s all-time leader in average rebounds, and had over 1000 points and 1000 rebounds. Ken grew up in Enfield and is a member of the Enfield Athletic Hall of Fame. Ken always had a joke at the ready and brought smiles and laughter everywhere he went. He really was “one of a kind”, a force of nature, and will be sorely missed by all those who knew him. Friends and relatives may pay their respects to the family Thursday, May 1st from 4-7pm at Farley-Sullivan Funeral Home, 34 Beaver Road, Wethersfield, CT. Burial will be private and at the convenience of the family. Ken loved and rescued animals his whole life, so the family would like any donations to be made in Ken’s memory to Protectors of Animals, Shelter Construction Fund, Unit 0, 144 Main St., East Hartford, CT 06118, poainc.org. To extend online condolences, share a memory, and/or light a memorial candle, please visit farleysullivan.com.