Rememberance

Today is a quiet day of remembrance because last Friday a close friend and colleague past away.
Peter Dombrowski was arguably one of the most dedicated environmental professionals that i had the privilege to know.  To me he was someone who could make you smile and my fondest memory is at a Health Department Staff meeting where division directors were asked to present on stage - and he sang a rousing number from "The Pirates of Penzance".
The following are excerpts of what others have said:

Carolyn Baisley:
It is with great sadness that I send you this message of losing a great friend and co- worker to cancer. After becoming ill several months ago, Peter was hospitalized for a few weeks and sent home with a course of treatment. Although he seemed to be responding well, he suddenly took a downward turn. Some of you have worked with Peter over the years since he worked for the City of Stamford for 28 years. During that time he served as the city's Director of Environmental Health for ten years . Upon retirement from Stamford, he returned to his roots as a Registered Sanitarian and came to work at the Greenwich Department of Health for almost 13 years. In serving the public for 41 years in total he made a significant contribution to the field of public health. Above all he was a wonderful person to know and we will miss him a great deal. At this time, I do not know the service arrangements however, I am sure it will be in the Stamford Advocate shortly. If you would like to send a card to the family it can be sent to them in care of the department( address listed below). Please inform your staff since some of them either knew and/or worked with him.

Patice Urban-Sulik:
I was devastated to hear this news. Peter was one of my closest colleagues from my days in Stamford. He spent a lot of time training me. He was a wonderful person and had such a great sense of humor. His psychology background was arguably the most valuable skillset to bring to the position.

A. Dennis McBride (Dr McBride)I am so grieved by losing Pete that it is difficult to speak about it. Here’s a
try. 
Many years ago, I promoted a reluctant Pete to be Stamford's Environmental Health
Chief. (He was just too modest to outright accept the offer. I think that Scotty,
his wife, finally convinced him.) After several years, he retired to work happily
in a second career in Greenwich. 
Pete was as simply brilliant public health practitioner. He taught me more about
local environmental health than anyone. Pete unselfishly shared his knowledge.
His approach to problem solving was both practical and imaginative. In all of my
jobs, I have used profusely what Pete taught me. Pete was a loyal, committed and
courageous worker.
Pete’s people skills were phenomenal. Something had to be wrong with you, if you
didn’t like… no love Pete. Pete could close a restaurant and the owner would
defend Pete and say, “it wasn’t Pete’s fault.”
But his sense of humor was notorious. “Pete” stories are reverberating in the
Stamford and Greenwich Health Departments bringing about both laughter and tears.
I know that Pete would like us to laugh but, now, we are stuck with tears.