Hi Bill -

My name is Pat(ricia) Connor and I grew up in Wallingford, CT on Franklin Street.

My mother, Loretta O'Connell Connor, her parents, brother and sister lived across the street from your Bartek family (their address was South Orchard Street, on the corner of Franklin Street). My mother died in November 2009 at age 91 at the Franklin Street house. In the course of going through her possessions, I came across many letters she had received from members of your family, particularly your uncles George and Bill, during WWII. I know she had done a good deal of writing to the fellows in the service that she knew from school (Lyman Hall HS, class of 1935), the neighborhood, co-workers, etc. and saved many of their letters.

I would love to be able to pass these letters from the "Bartek brothers" on to someone in your family. I have been trying to find a contact and just came across your posting in Ancestry.com. I was aware that your father and his family had lived in CA, that George and his family had lived in the Washington, DC area, etc. but don't know of anyone still in the Wallingford area. I myself now live on Cape Cod, although I have spent quite a bit of time in the past couple of years in Wallingford caring for my mother and now settling her estate. I do remember your uncle Steve and your aunt Helen (Briggs) as a child (I was born in 1954); I know the O'Connells and the Barteks were all good friends for years.

I would love to hear from you and hear your thoughts on who I might contact about these letters (I'm guessing there must be 50-100 letters). You can reach me via e-mail at pmc54@aol.com, by cell phone at (917) 825-7805 or at my late mother's home at (203) 269-6777.

Best regards,
Pat Connor