Andrew Adam Tarnowski

New Canaan, Conn. — Andrew Adam Tarnowski died Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017. He was born on Jan. 16, 1929, in Warsaw, Poland to Adam and Jadwiga (Gunath) Tarnowski. He spent his early childhood in Sofia, Bulgaria, where his father was Polish ambassador. After the Second World War, during which his father joined the Polish government in exile in London, Andrew attended the Douai School in England, then studied physics at University College Dublin, and finally took a Master’s Degree in the history of science at University College London.

On July 11, 1953, he married actress Teresa Strasburger, whom he had met through her brother, Henry. The couple left London when Andrew took a job at Eastman Kodak in Rochester, N.Y.; when Andrew was recruited to CBS Laboratories in Stamford, Conn. they settled in New Canaan, where they raised three children, Andrea, Olga and Peter.

A skilled engineer who held multiple patents, including one for the electron beam recorder, Andrew was a co-founder of Image Graphics Incorporated in 1975; he was head of research and development at IGI until his retirement.

Andrew was a man of sterling character, incisive intelligence, and few words. He prized reason and logic above all, and often returned to the idea of “all things in moderation.” He was a gifted linguist and mandolin player, a superb dancer, and a graceful athlete who spent many happy hours on the tennis and paddle tennis courts of The Lake Club in New Canaan. He was generous, fair and patient — a devoted father with a steady heart and mind. Andrew is survived by his wife Teresa; his three children; his niece, Ania Kasp; and his six grandchildren.

Donations in Andrew’s memory can be made to The Polish Institute of Arts and Sciences in America: http://www.piasa.org.