Mary Jane (Willette) Dube

Mary Jane (Willette) Dube, 100, wife of the late Lionel Dube, passed away peacefully in her

home that she shared with her close sister and caregiver, Christine Pinunsky in Rocky Hill on

January 1, 2025. She was born September 19, 1924 in Presque Isle, Maine. She was the daughter of Alice (Sirois) and Peter Willette, the first of eight children followed by; Gertrude, Gilbert, Gerald, Clarence, Robert, Patrick and Christine. Mary and Lionel had five children; Theresa Supple, Gary Dube, Carolyn Balch, Lionel “Buzz” Dube, and Jolene Mastrio. Mary and Lionel moved to Connecticut to provide a better life for their family in 1956, where they settled in Cromwell, Connecticut.

Mary is survived by her daughter Carolyn Balch, her son Lionel “Buzz” Dube and wife April

Dube, and daughter Jolene Mastrio and husband John Mastrio. She leaves behind her

grandchildren; Patricia Balch Dralle and husband Kurt Dralle, Jeff Balch and partner Tracy

Woolley, Kevin Freeman and wife Micki McGrath Freeman, Michele Dube, Marisa Mastrio and husband Andrew Alberts, youngest, Taylor Mastrio and “grandcat” Tiki. Her great-grandchildren, Adam Balch, Cory Neninger, Cameron Freeman and wife Sharines Freeman, Emma Parish and Chase Little. And her great-great grandson, Elias Freeman. Mary is also survived by her brother Robert Willette and wife Pam Willette, sister Christine Pinunsky and many nieces and nephews she loved in Connecticut and Maine.

Mary was a highly skilled seamstress and used her talents to provide so many friends and

family throughout their lives with a “Mary Original”. Mary was a strong and resilient woman and passed on her tremendous work ethic to her children and grandchildren. She was extremely intelligent in all that she did.

Mary was an avid bowler in her prime, playing on three leagues per week. Her favorite times in life were surrounded by family, laughing while she played rounds of her favorite games. Mary had an infectious laugh always lighting up a room. She was the voice of reason and always found a solution to anything you threw at her. Mary was the matriarch of the family, a role she embraced with unwavering strength and resilience.

Her family will miss her dearly and will always hold her in our hearts as our guiding light.

Mary’s family wants to give a special thanks and acknowledgement to her sister Christine, and her niece and nephew, Janelle Duff and Ed Pinunsky, and family for their endless support and help through the last days of her life. They would also like to give thanks to Middlesex Hospital and their hospice team for her care in her final days.

Mary was a communicant of St. Josephine Bakhita Parish and her family would like to

acknowledge her Eucharistic minister, Michael Lonegran and wife Mary Ann Lonegran.

Family and friends are invited to gather on Saturday, January 18th, 2025 at St. Elizabeth Seton Church, St.Josephine Bakhita Parish (280 Brook Street, Rocky Hill, CT 06067) at 11:00 am. Following the funeral will be a burial at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Portland CT.