WORCESTER__Jadwiga “Babcia” (Poreda) Burzynska, of Worcester, died peacefully on November 9th at the age of 90. She was born in Zbojna, Poland on June 28, 1931, one of five girls, born to Boleslaw and Stanislawa (Parzych) Poreda.
Jadwiga’s early years were spent in Poland on the family farm. She excelled in domestic arts, especially sewing. She lived under German occupation in Poland during her early youth, ages 8-13, and then another 18 years under Communist occupation. She told many stories about the war, all which shaped her into the strong, determined person she was.
Jadwiga, her husband, Boleslaw Burzynski, and their three children, Sophie, Halina and Michael immigrated to America on July 4th, 1962, settling in Worcester, Ma, with only a large wicker basket to hold all of their possessions. Jadwiga was very proud to be living in America. She sponsored several Polish immigrants by helping them have the life she enjoyed in her new home. She was a skilled seamstress at Hersh Neckwear, worked at State Mutual and ultimately, started her own cleaning and caregiver business.
Babcia enjoyed spending time with her children and grandchildren, gardening, watching her game shows, and being an active member of Our Lady of Czestochowa Parish in Worcester. She will be remembered for her devout Catholicism, especially for her admiration of Pope John Paul II, her homemade garlic remedies, and always offering her guests something to drink or eat, often instant coffee or tea, kielbasa on bread, Royal Dansk cookies from the round tin, paczki, Little Debbie snacks or a Table Talk pie. Her grandchildren will have fond memories of her slipping them some pieniadze (money), teaching them how to say their prayers in Polish and telling them bajki (fables). Everyone will fondly remember her sitting in her chair by the window telling her stories at the kitchen table and walking them to the door to say good-bye.
Jadwiga was predeceased by her husband, Boleslaw Burynski; her two sisters, Janina Poreda and Ania (Poreda) Lemanski; her grandson, Joshua Kozaczka; her niece, Elizabeth Swiderski, and her sister’s husband, Chester Lemanski. Jadwiga leaves behind her large, loving Polish family, her children, Sophie (Burzynski) Kozaczka of Oxford, Halina (Burzynski) Magerowski of Worcester and Michael Burzysnki and his wife, Lisa, of Somers, Connecticut, her sister, Krystyna Kania of Worcester; 1o grandchildren, Lisa, Anna, Michelle, Chris, Jessica, Sarah, Sherri, Joseph, Michael and Tesia, 15 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.
A special thank you to the staff at Care One Nursing Home in Millbury for their excellent care over the past few years.
The Funeral will be held on Saturday, November 13, 2021 from HENRY-DIRSA FUNERAL HOME, 33 Ward Street with a Funeral Mass at 10:00am in Our Lady of Czestochowa Church, 34 Ward St. Burial will follow in Notre Dame Cemetry. Calling hours will be held on Friday, November 12, 2021 from 4:00pm to 6:00pm in the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please make donations in Jadwiga’s memory to St John’s Food for the Poor Program, 20 Temple Street, Worcester, MA 01604 or stjohnsfoodforthepoor.org.
The Funeral Mass will be live-streamed on the Church website: Click Here.