Stafford Mourning Loss Of Prominent Agriculture, Business Leader

STAFFORD, CT — Stafford is mourning the loss a prominent member of its business community and a founding member of the Stafford Agricultural Commission.

Karl Milikowski died on Jan. 17 at the age of 61, according to his obituary from the Introvigne Funeral Home. His family cited a heart condition.

"Karl's life was a testament to kindness, dedication and love," his family said in the obituary.

Milikowski was a 1982 graduate of Stafford High School and honed his agricultural skills at the DuPage Horticultural School in Illinois in 1983. He returned to Stafford to manage his family’s retail garden center, Chestnut Hill Farm, for many years.

He also served as vice president at the W.H. Milikowski Greenhouse Supply Company and worked at several local garden centers.

He and his wife, Kim, established Foster Hill Farm when they bought the property at 21 Stafford Street, which includes a 2-acre pond, in 2008. They named their business after the Foster family, which owned and farmed the land for 200 years. In 2015, the couple opened a garden shop.

The selection of products available at Foster Hill Farm has always been extensive — from hanging baskets with thunbergia, scented geraniums to more than 80 varieties of herbs to basil and more than 40 types of specialty peppers.

Foster Hill Farm had 130 varieties of tomatoes and many of them were winners in All America Selection, a competition among growers.

"A lot of people come from a long way to get these tomatoes, because you can't find them elsewhere," Kim Milikowski told Patch in 2021.

Milikowski was a "devoted father" and a fixture in the agricultural community. In addition to the Ag Commission, he also served as a board member for the Tolland County Farm Bureau.

He and his wife launched the initial Stafford Farm Day in 2010, now one of Stafford’s largest annual events.

"Whether through his involvement in local events, the farm, or his willingness to lend a helping hand, he touched countless lives with his generosity and compassion. He will be remembered for his gentle spirit, his exceptional work ethic, his boundless love for family and his ability to bring people together," his family said in the obituary.

The Stafford Agricultural Commission expressed similar sentiments:

"We are heartbroken over the unexpected loss of one of our founding Stafford Ag Commissioners, Karl Milikowski of Foster Hill Farm. Karl, together with his wife, Kim, were our dynamic duo, who could really accomplish anything they set their minds to. Karl was one of the kindest, most hardworking and generous men you could ever know. No matter what was needed, on the shortest of notice, with a smile - and tools — he was there to help. We don’t believe the word 'no' was in his vocabulary," the statement read.

The commission continued, "As one of our young farmers said upon hearing of his death … 'Stafford is gonna feel his loss for a really long time.' There is no doubt about that … And we're sure it will be felt far beyond Stafford as Karl was involved in other groups and organizations, outside of town."

Calling hours are scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 25, from 9 a.m. to noon at the Introvigne Funeral Home, 51 East Main St., in Stafford. Following the calling hours, all are welcome to honor his life from 2 to 5 p.m. at Bush Meadow Farm, 738 Buckley Highway, Union. Personal eulogies may be offered from 2 to 3 p.m.

See the full obituary here.