Obituary for Mary Barbara Walker (Pliska)
Mary Barbara (Pliska) Walker, age 91, of Rockville, CT passed from this life on January 16, 2023 at Manchester Memorial Hospital after a brief illness. Mary was born in Hartford, CT on August 5, 1931 to Stanislaw Pliska and Stella Jaksina. She grew up in Hartford until moving to Rockville with her family in 1952. There, she met her husband, Daniel. They married in 1958 and settled in the area to raise their five children.
Mary was a graduate of the Rockville High School Class of 1949. She worked as a bookkeeper for Mundel's Hardware until the birth of her first child in 1960. She was a devoted mother, making her family her first priority for many years. After her children were grown, she worked for the Deming Insurance Agency in South Windsor.
A devout Catholic, Mary was a lifelong parishioner of St. Joseph Church in Rockville. Her unshakable Christian faith was evident in many discussions and she followed Christ's path in her life. She supported many charities and community organizations dedicated to serving the less-fortunate. She firmly believed it was her duty to follow Christ's Scripture, "whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers you do unto me". Her love of all things knitted or crocheted found her creating hats, mittens and scarves to support various outreach ministries in her community.
Mary was proud of her Polish heritage and continued many traditions taught by her parents, who emigrated from Poland. Especially loved by many were her Polish culinary creations which were abundant during the Christmas season. Pierogis in many varieties filled her table, however briefly!
Mary was also a devoted grandmother and was always eager to spend time with her granddaughters, whom she adored. She was ecstatic about welcoming her first great-grandchild, Jonathan, due to arrive in April. He will now have an angel watching over him from above.
Mary was a fan of the TV series Monk and The Golden Girls. Often while visiting her in her later years, she could be found engaged in a marathon of these shows, her infectious laugh heard, as she never grew tired of these episodes.
Mary is survived by her husband of 64 years, Daniel; her daughter, Linda McDonald and husband John, of Wolcott; her son, Mark, of Wolcott; her son and caregiver, Christopher, of Rockville and partner, Cheri Nauges, of South Windsor; her daughter, Sheila, and partner, James Lyon, of Bloomfield; her granddaughter, Kyleigh Civitello and husband, Isaac, of Middlebury; her granddaughter, Allison and partner, Michael Jones, of Wolcott; her sister, Patricia Brennan, of Broad Brook, and many beloved nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents, Stanislaw and Stella Pliska; her sisters Genevee Kubis, of South Windsor, Josephine Barnes, of Windsor Locks, Helen Dubiel, of East Hartford, Gladys Pliska of Hartford; her brothers Walter Pliska, of East Hartford and Stanley Pliska, of Manchester. She was also predeceased by her firstborn son, Dennis, in 2007.
Relatives and friends are welcome to join the family from 2 to 6 PM on Friday, January 27, 2023 at the Burke-Fortin Funeral Home, 76 Prospect St., Rockville, CT. Friends and family will be invited to share memories at 5 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 AM on Saturday, January 28, 2023 at St. Joseph Church, 33 West St., Rockville. Burial will be private at the convenience of the family. For online condolences please visit: www.pietrasfuneralhome.com
Mary was a graduate of the Rockville High School Class of 1949. She worked as a bookkeeper for Mundel's Hardware until the birth of her first child in 1960. She was a devoted mother, making her family her first priority for many years. After her children were grown, she worked for the Deming Insurance Agency in South Windsor.
A devout Catholic, Mary was a lifelong parishioner of St. Joseph Church in Rockville. Her unshakable Christian faith was evident in many discussions and she followed Christ's path in her life. She supported many charities and community organizations dedicated to serving the less-fortunate. She firmly believed it was her duty to follow Christ's Scripture, "whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers you do unto me". Her love of all things knitted or crocheted found her creating hats, mittens and scarves to support various outreach ministries in her community.
Mary was proud of her Polish heritage and continued many traditions taught by her parents, who emigrated from Poland. Especially loved by many were her Polish culinary creations which were abundant during the Christmas season. Pierogis in many varieties filled her table, however briefly!
Mary was also a devoted grandmother and was always eager to spend time with her granddaughters, whom she adored. She was ecstatic about welcoming her first great-grandchild, Jonathan, due to arrive in April. He will now have an angel watching over him from above.
Mary was a fan of the TV series Monk and The Golden Girls. Often while visiting her in her later years, she could be found engaged in a marathon of these shows, her infectious laugh heard, as she never grew tired of these episodes.
Mary is survived by her husband of 64 years, Daniel; her daughter, Linda McDonald and husband John, of Wolcott; her son, Mark, of Wolcott; her son and caregiver, Christopher, of Rockville and partner, Cheri Nauges, of South Windsor; her daughter, Sheila, and partner, James Lyon, of Bloomfield; her granddaughter, Kyleigh Civitello and husband, Isaac, of Middlebury; her granddaughter, Allison and partner, Michael Jones, of Wolcott; her sister, Patricia Brennan, of Broad Brook, and many beloved nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her parents, Stanislaw and Stella Pliska; her sisters Genevee Kubis, of South Windsor, Josephine Barnes, of Windsor Locks, Helen Dubiel, of East Hartford, Gladys Pliska of Hartford; her brothers Walter Pliska, of East Hartford and Stanley Pliska, of Manchester. She was also predeceased by her firstborn son, Dennis, in 2007.
Relatives and friends are welcome to join the family from 2 to 6 PM on Friday, January 27, 2023 at the Burke-Fortin Funeral Home, 76 Prospect St., Rockville, CT. Friends and family will be invited to share memories at 5 PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 AM on Saturday, January 28, 2023 at St. Joseph Church, 33 West St., Rockville. Burial will be private at the convenience of the family. For online condolences please visit: www.pietrasfuneralhome.com