Laura T. Rusinoski 96 of Mattapoisett and Rochester passed away peacefully at Newton-Wellesley Hospital on December 19, 2021. Laura was the wife of the late Alexander K. Rusinoski.. She was born and raised in New Bedford, she was one of 6 children of Portuguese immigrants Joaquim and Aurora (Gomes) Teixeira. Laura spoke only Portuguese as a young child and was multi Lingual her entire life.
She grew up on Deane Street in the North End of New Bedford where she had many Polish and French friends, her love of music and dancing brought her to the Polish Veterans Club where she met her future husband Alexander. Once married she lived in Fairhaven before building a home in Mattapoisett and there she resided until the last three years of her life when she moved to Rochester to live with her daughter Kathy.
She was a communicant of St. Anthony’s Church in Mattapoisett.
Laura’s worked at Mass Shirt in New Bedford for 18 years, when her daughter started school, she began working in Mattapoisett Center Schools Cafeteria where she happily remained “A Lunch Lady” for 25 years until she retired in 1993 to care for her ailing husband.
Laura was a woman of many talents and interests….she loved clothes, style and especially Jewelry. She took great pride in her appearance and was always dressed to the nines! She was a remarkable seamstress, she also enjoyed knitting and crocheting. She grew strawberries and sold them as well as baking incredible desserts, pies and pastries and made jams with the bounty of her large garden. As the wife of a fisherman she could fillet a fish, shuck scallops and would spend hours pulling the meat out of lobsters and crabs that were caught that day. She was an amazing chef on an old fashioned wood stove making pancakes with her husband every Sunday morning while listening to Polish Happy Time on the radio….when the pancakes were ready it was time to head upstairs to eat and dance some Polka’s in the kitchen.
Music and dancing was an integral part of Laura’s life, she and her husband attended many Polish Picnics and Polka dances. Even though Laura was Portuguese she was very involved with the Polish Community and was a member of the Polish Veterans club where she and her husband would march in the Polish Section of the Feast Parade. She volunteered at OLPH Polish Church in her later years helping at Grandma’s table and joining the Monday “Pierogi Pinching” crew. Here she made many new friends and also tried her hand at learning to speak Polish which she found to be a challenge, she visited Poland with a group in the 80’s. Laura loved to travel and enjoyed many Caribbean Cruises and trips to Canada and other U.S. destinations. She also travelled to Portugal two times to visit the village in Tras O Monte’s where her family originated from this was a lifelong desire that she was so happy to fulfill.
Laura made friends wherever she went due to her gentle caring personality, always willing to volunteer her time and always with kind words for all. She was a gentle soul who contributed a lot and asked for little.
She is survived by her daughter Kathy Ann and her friend Russell J. Mello of Rochester and many nieces and nephews.
She was the sister of the late Mario Teixeira, Ida Gomez, Elsie Rego, Antone Teixeira and Armand Teixeira.
Her Mass of Christian Burial with be held on Thursday, December 30th at 10 am at St. Anthonys Church in Mattapoisett. Her burial is private at the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne where she will join her husband Alexander for eternity.
In Lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Mercy Ships.org www.southcoastchapel.com
