On August 20th 2024 Margaret “Małgosia” Zasada of Wethersfield Connecticut passed away from cancer at home with her son by her side. She was 64 years old. Małgosia was born in Warsaw Poland on May 27th 1960 and in 1981 immigrated to the United States to escape the social and economic turmoil of communist Poland. Despite her humble beginnings, her perseverance and can-do attitude allowed her to overcome many of the challenges of being an immigrant and a political refugee. Within a few years of arriving to America, she learned English, built a network of friends, got married, started a family, and found steady work.
Małgosia always had a love for travel and first pursued this interest professionally by completing training in the travel industry back in Poland. Later in America, she completed a program at Tunxis Community College in Travel Services and began working as a travel agent. In 2003 after some years of working for others, Małgosia, together with her business partner Ela Matysiak, opened a Polish-American Travel Agency called Pol-Amex Travel Services in Hartford, of which she eventually became the sole owner. Pol-Amex became not only a place to buy airline tickets, book cruises, send packages, wire money overseas and get important documents notarized; it was a place for the Polish community in central Connecticut to maintain connection with their homeland and their culture. Pol-Amex faithfully served the community up until the Summer of 2023 when Małgosia closed the business due to her declining health.
Małgosia will be remembered for her welcoming nature, strong spirit and willingness to serve others. Her personal sacrifices paved the way for her descendants to have a freer and more fulfilling life.
Even though Małgosia had her share of interpersonal turmoil throughout her life, she showed persistent courage in navigating the burdens of ancestral trauma and of a difficult upbringing. We pray her soul is renewed by God’s healing love and that she rests in eternal peace.
Małgosia is survived by her son Paul Zasada, daughter-in-law Jessie, 4 grandchildren Theo, Onora, Raphael and Claire, companion Peter, sister Elizabeth Swiercz and many loving friends. Her wish was to be cremated and to have her remains buried in a family plot at the Orthodox cemetery in Warsaw. A Catholic Mass in her name will soon be offered in Hartford and in Warsaw.
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