{{Short description|American politician (1928–2019)}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Astrid Hanzalek | image = | caption = | office1 = Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 61st district | term_start1 = January 3, 1973 | term_end1 = January 7, 1981 | predecessor1 = Leo H. Flynn | successor1 = Ruth Fahrbach | office2 = Member of the Connecticut House of Representatives from the 40th district | term_start2 = January 6, 1971 | term_end2 = January 3, 1973 | predecessor2 = James H. McGill | successor2 = William S. Mayer | birth_name = Astrid Teicher | birth_date = {{Birth date|1928|1|6}} | birth_place = New York City, New York | death_date = {{Death date and age|2019|9|1|1928|1|6}} | death_place = Suffield, Connecticut | party = Republican }}
'''Astrid Teicher Hanzalek''' (January 6, 1928 – September 1, 2019) was an American politician who served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1971 to 1981.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/hartfordcourant/obituary.aspx?n=astrid-t-hanzalek&pid=193844143&fhid=4102 |title=Astrid Hanzalek Obituary - Suffield, CT | Hartford Courant |publisher=Legacy.com |date= |accessdate=2020-05-24}}</ref>
== Early life and education == Astrid Teicher was born in New York City, the daughter of German immigrants Arthur Teicher and Luise Gertrud Funke Teicher. Her father had a sheet metal business, and her mother was a professional chef, trained in France. She finished high school in three years, and graduated from Concordia College in 1947. She earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Pennsylvania in 1949.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |last=Hamilton |first=Anne M. |date=2019-09-22 |title=Extraordinary life: Astrid Hanzalek was the One to Get Things Done |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-extraordinary-life-ast/175014205/ |access-date=2025-06-22 |work=Hartford Courant |pages=B2 |archive-date=2025-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250622024007/https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-extraordinary-life-ast/175014205/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Career == Hanzalek was an organist and choir director at a Lutheran church on Long Island after college. She worked in advertising in New York as a young woman.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news |last=Levis |first=Merribel |date=1974-08-04 |title=Republican Convention: Women Climb Ladder with Clean Slate |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-republican-convention/175015220/ |access-date=2025-06-22 |work=Hartford Courant |pages=116 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=2025-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250622024007/https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-republican-convention/175015220/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She served in the Connecticut House of Representatives from 1971 to 1981.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1976-11-04 |title=Rep. Hanzalek Wins 4th Term |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-rep-hanzalek-wins-4th/175014976/ |access-date=2025-06-22 |work=Hartford Courant |pages=13 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=2025-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250622024007/https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-rep-hanzalek-wins-4th/175014976/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Murzyn |first=Carol |date=1977-11-18 |title=Lawmaker Wants Bradley to Concentrate on Region; Hanzalek Suggests Move in Dam Issue |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-lawmaker-wants-bradley/175015989/ |access-date=2025-06-22 |work=Hartford Courant |pages=15 |via=Newspapers.com}}</ref> In 1978, she was considered a possible candidate for lieutenant governor.<ref>{{Cite news |date=1978-07-31 |title=Hanzalek Wips Stars from Eyes to Run for Assembly |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican-hanzalek-wips-stars-from/175015682/ |access-date=2025-06-22 |work=The Republican |pages=11, [https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican-republican-state-conventi/175015535/ 12] |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=2025-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250622024007/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican-hanzalek-wips-stars-from/175015682/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She was a delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1980, and at Republican State Conventions in 1974 and 1978.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Simison |first=Cynthia |date=1978-07-31 |title=Republican State Convention a Political Potpourri |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican-republican-state-conventi/175015535/ |access-date=2025-06-22 |work=The Republican |pages=6 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=2025-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250622024007/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican-republican-state-conventi/175015535/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She served on the Connecticut State Commission on Culture and Tourism, the Connecticut Council on Environmental Quality, and the Connecticut Greenway Commission. She served on the boards of the Connecticut Forest and Park Association and of Riverfront Recapture.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news |last=Simison |first=Cynthia |date=1978-02-21 |title=Connecticut Missing Today's River Basin Group Meeting |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican-connecticut-missing-today/175015889/ |access-date=2025-06-22 |work=The Republican |pages=10 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=2025-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250622024007/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-republican-connecticut-missing-today/175015889/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
Hanzalek was co-founder of the Suffield Land Trust, president of the Antiquarian and Landmark Society, and an active member of the American Red Cross, Traveler's Aid, and Greater Hartford Community Council. In 2010 she received an honorary degree from Charter Oak State College.<ref name=":0" />
== Personal life == Teicher married mechanical engineer Frederick Hanzalek in 1955.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |date=2017-05-23 |title=Frederick J. Hanzalek |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-frederick-j-hanzalek/175016173/ |access-date=2025-06-22 |work=Hartford Courant |pages=B6 |via=Newspapers.com |archive-date=2025-06-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250622024007/https://www.newspapers.com/article/hartford-courant-frederick-j-hanzalek/175016173/ |url-status=live }}</ref> She played tennis and golf as an avid amateur competitor.<ref name=":0" /> Her husband died in 2017,<ref name=":2" /> and she died of a stroke on September 1, 2019, in Suffield, Connecticut, at age 91.<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hanzalek, Astrid}} Category:1928 births Category:2019 deaths Category:Politicians from New York City Category:Women state legislators in Connecticut Category:Republican Party members of the Connecticut House of Representatives Category:21st-century American women Category:20th-century members of the Connecticut General Assembly Category:20th-century American women politicians