Obituary: Marie J. Sasso, 85 of Stratford

Marie J. Sasso's Eulogy

Good Morning. I am Marie’s oldest daughter, Nancy Sasso Janis and I give this eulogy on behalf of my siblings and my aunt Peggy.

When Mom was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, she bravely underwent several rounds of chemo, but then made the decision not to undergo any more. Soon after she began hospice care, my mom died peacefully just 13 days before her 86th birthday.

Marie was the devoted wife of the late Austin Sasso for 60 years before his death in 2017. Six months before he died, an anniversary Mass was celebrated right here in honor of their 60 years together. A plaque in my parent’s home reads: “What I love most about my life ~ is who I share it with.” My mother missed my dad every single day and looked forward to being reunited with him in Heaven. They were truly soulmates.

Marie Josephine Norkawich was born in Bridgeport, a daughter of the late Edmund and Mary (Domblosky) Norkawich and was one of five siblings. She is survived by her brother Donald, and was predeceased by her sisters Isabel and Theresa and her brother Edward.

My mom met her beloved husband in the choir at Bassick HS and enjoyed singing with him in the church choir here at Our Lady of Grace for many years. Once all five of us kids were in school, Mom began working in the Men’s Department part time at Caldor and there she stayed for thirty years until her retirement.

My mother was an accomplished seamstress, sewing scores of outfits for everyone in the family from the time we were born, her own wedding gown and gowns for my sister and me, and innumerable craft items. She often created one-of-a-kind outfits for the newest arrivals to the families of friends and neighbors. She sewed countless camp shirts made out of kid-friendly fabrics that became known as “Grandma shirts.” When my three sons outgrew them, I handed them down to another family of boys.

When my friend Paula became engaged to my friend John, she began praying to her recently deceased mother for someone to do the alterations to her mother’s wedding gown so that she could wear the antique gown on her wedding day. My mother had already offered to alter the gown before I learned of Paula’s prayers; when I told her of Mom’s offer, we both knew that it was divine intervention. Mom and I agreed that Paula was a most beautiful bride in her mother’s gown that fit her perfectly.

My parents enjoyed dressing up as a couple every Halloween in order to be part of competition at the Halloween Party at the Stratford Senior Center. Once they decided on a theme for their costumes, Mom worked hard at sewing both of them and Dad helped with the props. Over the years, they dressed as a Civil War couple, a couple of swells, Mary Poppins and Bert, turn of the century motorists, Renaissance royals and finally a couple of hippies from the sixties preaching peace and love. They were named one of the winning teams every single year they attended. Mom graciously encouraged me to donate all of the outfits to the costume shop at the Warner Theatre, where they will continue to be worn by others, both onstage and off.

Mom was an avid reader and loaded up on novels whenever she visited the Stratford Library. She loved coloring and the smell of a new box of Crayola crayons. Until the weeks before her death, she kept busy completing large jigsaw puzzles in the den she had once shared with my dad. On TV, she was a huge fan of THE WEST WING, DOWNTON ABBEY and the series VICTORIA on PBS, which we discussed at length by phone.

Mom raised five children to cherish her memory, including myself and my former husband John Henry who she never really stopped thinking of as her son-in-law, David Sasso and his wife Marcy, Jeffrey Sasso and his wife Patricia McCay, Mark Sasso and his wife Kim, and Christine Reuther and her husband Dan. She was “GRANDMA” to Nicholas, Kristen, Adam “CJ,” Julie, Jenna, Isabelle, Juliette, Austin, Stephen and Jay, and my son Jonathan.

However, she will always be remembered as “Mommy Sasso” by Kim, Missy and Joey Henry and their father, Marie’s devoted neighbor Bill Henry. We will never be able to thank Bill enough for adopting my mother after we lost my father, taking her along on his trips for groceries, and to her beloved Stratford library.

During her final visit to the hospital, she delighted in telling everyone who would listen about the red folder in the window that they employed so that Bill would know that she was safe every morning. Mom often told me how much she appreciated the kindness of Bill and all of her attentive neighbors.

I found this poem written in my Mom’s handwriting in her desk shortly before she died labeled: TO BE READ IN CHURCH PLEASE, so here we are.

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamonds glints on snow,
I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn rain,
When you awaken in the morning’s hush,
I am the swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circled flight,
I am the soft stars that shine at night,
Do not stand at my grave and cry,
I am not there, I did not die

Thank you all for coming to Mom’s beloved church today to say goodbye, especially her devoted friends from the 4:00 Saturday Mass who were so supportive of her. On behalf of my entire family, I would like to thank each and every one of you for coming today and to the wake yesterday. It means more to us than we could ever express.

ORIGINAL POST

Stratford, CT - Marie J. Sasso passed away peacefully on January 18, 2020, just 13 days before her 86th birthday. She was the wife of the late Austin N. Sasso for 60 years.

Marie was born in Bridgeport, a daughter of the late Edmund and Mary (Domblosky) Norkawich and met her beloved husband in the choir at Bassick HS. She worked for Caldor for thirty years before her retirement. She was an accomplished seamstress, an avid reader and loved jigsaw puzzles.

She raised five children to cherish her memory; they include Naugatuck/Bethwood Patch Nancy Sasso Janis and her former husband John Henry of Naugatuck, David Sasso and his wife Marcy of New Jersey, Jeffrey Sasso and his wife Patricia McCay of Killingworth, Mark Sasso and his wife Kim of North Carolina, Christine Reuther and her husband Dan of North Carolina. She was the grandmother of Nicholas Henry, Kristen Brickel, Adam and Christian Janis, all of Naugatuck, Julie and Jenna Sasso, Isabelle and Juliette Sasso, Austin, Stephen and Jay Sasso. She was “Mommy Sasso” to Kimberly, Missy and Joey Henry and their father, Marie’s devoted neighbor Bill Henry.

Besides her husband and parents, Mrs. Sasso was predeceased by her brother Edward Norkawich and her sisters Isabel Johnson and Terry Norkawich, as well as her sister-in-law Ruth M. Sasso and grandson Jonathan Austin Henry. She also leaves her sister-in-law Margaret Lagasse and her husband Normand of Arizona, and many nieces, nephews, neighbors and friends.

The family would like to express their thanks to their caregiver Sissy for her gentle care in Marie's final days.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Cancer Society or the Stratford Library Association.

Click here to read the obituary on the Adzima website.

Funeral arrangements are pending and will be added to this post when they become available. Adzima Funeral Home in Stratford has been entrusted with all arrangements. www.adzimafuneralhome.com

Calling hours will be Thursday, January 23rd from 4-7 pm at Adzima Funeral Home, 50 Paradise Green Place, Stratford, CT.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on January 24, 2020 at 11 am, at Our Lady of Grace Church Stratford. Burial to follow at St. Lawrence Cemetery in West Haven, where Marie will be laid to rest next to her beloved husband Austin.