Mary Ann (Stefanski) Pavlich

     Mary Ann Pavlich, 101, breathed her last breath of Earthly air and died of natural causes in the presence of her sons Steve and Tony at their home in San Diego, California.

       Born in Camden, New Jersey on January 11, 1920 to Polish immigrants Balbina and Albert Stefanski Mary enjoyed spending time with her brother and three sisters at their home on Mt. Ephraim Avenue.

       Mary was an excellent student and endeared herself to her classmates with a great sense of humor and genuine kindness.

       Graduating from Pierce Business School in nearby Philadelphia, Pennsylvania she would work several years as a secretary before meeting a handsome Army Military Policeman, Stephen R. Pavlich on a train ride to Florida. After Steve’s deployment in Europe during World War II they would marry on May 10, 1946 and settle in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

      Mary and Steve would raise three sons, Stephen, Tony and Paul until Steve’s untimely death to mesothelioma in September of 1974. Mary would spend the rest of her life in the care of her sons Steve and Tony.

     While in Bridgeport Mary would spend many hours cooking and baking for church events and making “nylon net scrubbies” for the Kennedy Center and later Southbury Training School where her special needs son Paul resided.

     Several times every year, Mary would travel to Crowley, Louisiana to help her brother Tony care for his ailing wife Christine. Trips all over the United States with her sister-in-law Gloria and friends was a source of happiness for her. She even enjoyed a cruise or two. She especially loved going to the Mohegan Sun Casino with her son Tony and would inevitably come home a winner.

     In 1980 Mary and her sons would move to a new home in the Lordship section of Stratford, Connecticut where they would live for the next 34 years. Active in two Senior Citizen Groups one at Our Lady of Peace Church and the other at St. James School(where Steve was a teacher) was her joy. She would enjoy playing Bingo and cards with her dear friends Florence O’Bright, Alice Rusatsky, Jo Ariano and Natalie Marranzino.

     In November of 2014 Mary and her two sons would be on the move again…this time to sunny San Diego, California driving cross country for eight and a half days with their Chocolate Lab, Rocky. The thought of avoiding ice and snow and living in a one level home with no steps made the decision a no- brainer.

     Mary would enjoy two good years before being stricken with dementia which would limit the quality of her life for the remainder of her years.

     Besides losing her husband Steve in 1974, Mary was predeceased by her parents and her sisters Sophie, Fay and Katherine and brother Tony. She was the matriarch of the Stefanski family. She is survived by her three sons and many nieces and nephews.

     Mary was a gift from God! She never smoke, drank, cursed or drove a car and above all never uttered a mean word at all toward others. She loved people and people loved her. She was loved unconditionally by her sons who promised their Dad on his dying day to take care of their mother and they did!

     She will be happy in Heaven reuniting with her husband and family members and laughing and playing cards with her friends.

     God has a new Angel!

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