Mary K. Betancourt

PLAINVILLE - On November 13, 2022, heaven gained an angel when Mary Kuziak Betancourt passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.

Mary was born in Hartford, Connecticut on October 17,1923 to Sofia Sierko and Franceszek Kusiak (Kuziak).  Mary had a very full life as a child in Hartford. She loved school and excelled, graduating as Valedictorian of her class. She even found time to letter in Basketball and Track. One of her proudest moments was winning a 5-pound bag of sugar during a track meet. She was beaming when she brought it home to her mother during the Great Depression when sugar was scarce.

After attending college, Mary work as an actuary in the Insurance Industry. Mary always was a math whiz and loved her job.

One fateful day, her brother Edward (Kuziak), introduced Mary to his best friend George’s (Betancourt) brother, Ralph Betancourt Jr., a dashing World War II veteran. They fell in love and were married in 1947.

Mary loved her job in the Insurance Industry but when Linda was born in 1953, Mary decided to devote her life to her family. Ralph III followed in 1955 and her family was complete.

Many moves followed, as by now, Ralph Jr. was and engineer working for various companies in the Space Program. It was an exciting time and Mary treated each move as a new adventure. Before each move Mary would travel to the new location and scout out the neighborhoods with the best schools. Education was of paramount importance to Mary and she wanted her children to have the best opportunity to succeed.

Mary loved her children and was always the first one to volunteer to be a chaperone on school trips. She was also active in the Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts. She found time to help her children with their homework as well. In fact, she helped many children with their studies including nieces, nephews and neighbors.

Mary also loved traveling, camping. She wanted her children to see the country and how other people lived. She succeeded as the family took a few cross-country trips and Linda and Ralph developed their parent’s sense of adventure. While in Houston, when Ralph Jr. took up sailing, Mary gamely went along even though she couldn’t swim and was afraid of the water.

Mary was very proud of her children and often bragged about them to anyone who would listen (much to their chagrin!). In the 70’s when Linda and Ralph were finishing high school and on their way to college, Mary decided to take a job for fun at a local department store in Houston, Texas, Foley’s. True to form, since Mary excelled at everything she tried, she soon became a Group Sales Manager. This must have influenced her children greatly as they both found careers in Fashion and Retailing.

After her children were grown and on their own Mary and Ralph Jr. continued to travel, visiting family across the United States and finding time to explore Europe.

After her beloved husband passed away, Mary found solace in a widow’s group at the Simsbury Senior Center and true to form, she became very active in social and trip planning for the center. She made many lasting friends there.

Mary Kuziak Betancourt, a life well lived!

Mary is survived by her two children Linda Betancourt and Ralph Betancourt III as well Ralph’s wife, Lisa and Mary’s grandchildren (her pride and joy!), Spencer Betancourt and Whitney Betancourt. She is also survived by her youngest brother, Joseph Kuziak and many loving nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her mother and father, Sophie and Frank, in laws, Ralph Fabian and America Isabel Betancourt and her husband Ralph Jr.as well as her brothers and sisters, Julia, Sophie, Edward and Theodore. Also predeceasing her were her brother and sister in laws, their spouses as well as 4 nephews and nieces.

A private burial was held on November 18th, 2022. A celebration of her life well lived will be held at a later date. Anyone wishing to make memorial donations may do so to the charity of their choice.

The Bailey Funeral Home of Plainville has been entrusted with the arrangements. To leave a message of remembrance, please visit www.bailey-funeralhome.com.