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Theresa Broderick Kusmierski passed away Oct. 12 at Yale-New Haven Hospital in New Haven. Theresa was born Sept. 6, 1930, in Middletown to Polish immigrants Aniela Bula and Vincenty Bruderek. Theresa attended grade school at St Mary’s Church in Middletown and graduated from Woodrow Wilson High.

Her Polish heritage shaped her life in so many ways from her spiritual faith, her hard-working ethic, to her generous dedication to family and her love for polka music and dance. One Saturday night at the Polish Falcon club as a teenager in the 40’s, Theresa met Ray Kusmierski who became her loving husband of 69 years and her lifelong dancing partner. Theresa enjoyed this rare, once-in-a-life-time bond until the day of her passing.

Theresa was one of nine siblings and is survived by Stephanie Wasicki of Middletown, Vincent Broderick of Augusta, Georgia, and Stanley Broderick of Leesburg, Florida. Theresa was predeceased by her cherished sisters Sophie, Mary, Helen, Lottie, and Nellie, with whom she shared laughter and good fun at traditional family gatherings. Theresa sadly leaves behind her husband Ray (with whom she would have celebrated 70 beautiful years together in June); her son Raymond Kusmierski, Jr., and daughter-in-law Linda of Essex; her son Kenneth Kusmierski and daughter-in-law Beth of Chester; her daughter Joanne Schneider and son-in-law Bill of Middletown; and Patricia Kusmierski of Essex. Theresa is loved and will be always remembered in the hearts of her children as well as her seven grandchildren, Ken Jr., Elizabeth, Susan, Greg, David, Mary, and Catie.

Theresa was active in the local community of Essex, always by the side of Ray who owned the grocery store in the village of Essex for 24 years. Theresa worked as Ray’s office manager and bookkeeper as well as being a devoted, full-time mom and homemaker. Her hard work afforded the opportunity for her children to become first-generation college graduates.

Theresa was a devoted parishioner at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, where she and Ray had routinely claimed the second-row pew at each Saturday night Mass. Theresa’s kind spirit was felt by family, friends, and acquaintances. Her passion for dance embraced devoted friends from across the United States through travels to polka dance halls well into Theresa and Ray’s senior years.

As Theresa was strong in her own beliefs in life, a donation in her honor would be well suited to a charity of your own devotion in lieu of flowers. A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, Oct. 16 at Our Lady of Sorrows in Essex, followed by burial at St. Joseph’s Cemetery in Chester. To share a memory of Theresa or send a condolence to her family, please visit www.rwwfh.com. Arrangements by the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home in Centerbrook.