Roseanne Marie Jesensky Patrick

Roseanne Marie Jesensky Patrick of Rocky Hill passed away peacefully in Hartford Hospital on April 10 after a long illness.  Roseanne was born in Hartford on March 19, 1945, to Stephen and Antoinette Maio Jesensky.   She grew up in Hartford and Brooklyn, New York.  As a child, Roseanne’s love of good food was evident.  She would drop in on neighbors in her Franklin Avenue neighborhood at dinner time to see what was cooking.  When she grew up, she became an excellent cook.  Her “red soup” became a staple at all family holiday gatherings.

Life was not always easy for Roseanne.  She had to work as a teenager and had to drop out of high school.  But through grit and determination she earned her GED a few years later.  Roseanne was always a very hard worker.  Whether she was wrapping Christmas gifts at    G. Fox and Company, working as a bank teller, or later putting in extra hours as an Administrative Assistant for the State of Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, Roseanne was a valued employee.

Roseanne married Bob Breen in 1965, and they moved to Diamond Lake in Glastonbury in 1970.  They had two daughters, Leslie and Amy, and the family enjoyed life at the lake.   Roseanne particularly enjoyed the frogs, and the neighborhood boys loved catching them for her.  Roseanne loved to turn the frogs over and stroke their bellies until they fell asleep.  When not playing with the frogs, Roseanne served as Treasurer and Newsletter Editor of the Diamond Lake Association for several years.

In the early 1980’s Roseanne became involved in Women’s Master’s Weightlifting.  In 1984 she lifted 121 pounds overhead in the 132-pound Class in the Clean and Jerk event to set the National Record in that event.

In 1985 Roseanne married Bill Patrick.  They both worked hard and supported each other but also had a lot of good times.  They enjoyed trips to France, Italy, and especially England where Roseanne, who loved the Royal Family, visited Stonehenge, Westminster Abbey, Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace, and Kensington Palace, home of Princess Diana, who Roseanne adored.  They also loved cruising the Carribean, the Panama Canal, around Hawaii, to Alaska, and along the Pacific Rim from Thailand to Australia.  Roseanne particularly enjoyed the annual trip to the Old Cutter Inn in Burke, Vermont each Martin Luther King, Jr. Weekend. Family, neighbors and office mates skied and enjoyed the delicious food served by Fritz, the Austrian Chef, who owned the inn.

Roseanne loved women’s basketball.  Before the Connecticut Sun came to Connecticut, Roseanne cheered on the New England Blizzard and the Springfield Spirit.  Many UCONN alums played on the Spirit team.  During one game, future Hall of Famers, Sue Bird and Swin Cash, were waiting to enter the game on the sidelines at the scorers’ table when Roseanne, who didn’t understand basketball etiquette, reached over the scorers’ table and asked for their autographs – and she got them!

Roseanne, who was a feisty Italian, was a passionate UCONN and Connecticut Sun basketball fan.  She never agreed with any foul call against her players.  She had season tickets in the first row at Mohegan Sun for 20 years until 2023.  She wanted to upgrade to seats at courtside, but Bill talked her out of it to protect the referees.

Roseanne was first a fan but later a friend to many former UCONN and Connecticut Sun players.  Her basketball friends included Nykesha Sales, Misty Bass, and Erin Phillips and her entire family in Australia, among several others.

Roseanne is survived by her sister Madeline DeMaine in Plainville, CT, her daughters Leslie Jensen in Twin Falls, Idaho and Amy Breen in Anchorage, Alaska, Bill Patrick, her ex-husband and best friend, her small dogs, Bitsa and Chaluta, and Jacob a cockatiel. She is predeceased by her brothers Joseph Jesensky, Anthony Jesensky, and Edward Jesensky.  She is also survived by her grandsons Christopher and Thomas Jensen, nephews Bruce Demaine, Steven Demaine, Michael DeMaine, Mark Jesensky, and David Jesensky, nieces Kathy Brown, Katrina Burdick, Laura Bencivengo, and Charlene LaFontaine, cousins Natalie Maio, Margaret Maio, Linda Bluefield, Thomas Altrui, Michael Maio, and Henry Altrui.   Also surviving her are her dear friends Maisie Russell, San Chua, and Sarah Moon from Rocky Hill who supported and comforted her.

A celebration of her life will be held with immediate family members.  For on-line expressions of sympathy please visit: www.brooklawnfuneralhome.com.