Lynn M (Zawacki) Dallas

Lynn M. Dallas, 75 Old Saybrook, CT Lynn M. Dallas, longtime resident of Old Saybrook, CT passed away at age 75 after a brief illness at Middlesex Hospital in Middletown, CT on October 23. Lynn was known to all as a generous, caring and compassionate daughter, sister, aunt and friend. Lynn is survived and will be deeply missed by her brother, John S. Zawacki, Jr., and his partner, Angie Diaz; her sister, Julia A. Zawacki and her husband, Dwight J. Dagenhart; her niece, Katie E. Dagenhart; her numerous cousins and extended family; and, her constant companion, Max, “The Wonder Dog”. She was predeceased by her parents, John S. Zawacki Sr. and Helen T. Zawacki. Lynn was a native of Meriden and a graduate of Albertus Magnus College and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government Institute in Employment and Training Administration. Her career was dedicated to improving workers’ quality of life on and off the job. After college, she worked as an organizer for several large unions, where she focused on providing employment and training services for displaced workers. She joined the Connecticut Department of Labor in 1988 to serve as Director of Job Training, the first woman to hold this position. After a 19-year career with the agency, she retired to accept a part-time assignment as the Executive Director of the John J. Driscoll United Labor Agency located in Rocky Hill, CT, retiring fully in 2011. As an active member of the Old Saybrook Democratic Town Committee, Lynn was always an outspoken advocate for others. As such, she served in many board positions throughout her lifetime both on the state and local level. Lynn's passions were many. She was an avid gardener and happily provided tours of her indoor and outdoor gardens. She designed, crafted and sold jewelry as a part-time business. As an insatiable reader, Lynn would pour through books and magazines with the efficiency and interest of an archivist and scholar. Above all else, she was a loving daughter, sister, friend and aunt. Kind, generous, self-sacrificing, inclusive – and a great sense of humor – are the words many have used to describe Lynn. In lieu of flowers, charitable donations may be made to the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Southern Poverty Law Center or other charity of choice. A service of remembrance, internment and a celebration of life will be held in the Spring of 2023.

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