Valentine Ruseckas


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Valentine Ruseckas, 92, passed away December 1, 2014 at Maplewood Nursing Home, Westmoreland, NH. His wife of 67 years, Mary P. (Balser) Ruseckas died next to him on October 16, 2014. The above photo was taken recently and shows the two of them together and inseparable, as always.

Born in Worcester, MA February 14, 1922 to Lithuanian immigrant parents Constanza (Beckuta) and Anthony Ruseckas he was named after the Valentine’s Day he was born on.

In early life he was an active member of the Ionic Ave Boy’s Club participating in many sports along with brothers Vin & Joe. He graduated from Commerce High School in Worcester Class of 1941.

He was a WWII veteran of both the US Navy and the Army Air Corps where he was a Flight Officer.

He followed his brother Joseph Ruseckas, a famed Worcester area pilot and aerospace engineer, in to aviation becoming a commercial licensed pilot. It was in aviation that he met his wife Mary, also a pilot.

He was a certified auto and airplane mechanic and worked for and retired from the maintenance department at Wyman-Gordon Company in North Grafton, MA. His proudest achievement there was, just before retirement, being named to oversee the first ever overhaul of the Loewy 50,000 ton closed-die press, one of the largest in the world, a task normally reserved for an engineer.

He was an avid Barbershop Harmony Society participant forming several quartets and being a member of the Worcester Chapter for decades and President of the same chapter for years. When he moved to New Hampshire he joined the Keene Cheshiremen Barbershop Chorus until family care-giving precluded further participation.

In retirement he was an avid golfer who enjoyed regular outings with Wyman-Gordon and Barbershop Harmony friends to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, all over Massachusetts and New England, California and Arizona. Later on he enjoyed many trips to Hawaii to visit with son Robert and golfed throughout the Hawaiian Islands. In Massachusetts he was a member of Westborough Country Club. In New Hampshire he became a member of the Hooper Golf Course of Walpole.

All through his entire life his focus was on the family, both for his siblings and especially his children, their families, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

He leaves sons Robert J. Ruseckas and his wife Wanda Wang of Banning, CA and Raymond V. Ruseckas of Walpole NH and daughters Katherine E. Ruseckas & her husband Craig Constantine of W. Leyden, MA, , their sons Brett Constantine, his wife Jenny and their twin daughters Maya & Ella and Guy Constantine, and Marilyn A. Ruseckas and her husband Adam Whitney of Waitsfield, VT.

He was predeceased by his wife Mary P. (Balser), a son James Edward, sister Katherine Stevens, brothers Vincent P. Russell and Joseph A. Ruseckas.

This true “Valentine to the world” will be sorely missed by all family and friends.

In keeping with Valentine’s wishes all services will be private. Services are under the care of Cheshire Family Funeral Chapel and Crematories, 44 Maple Ave. Keene, NH. 03431. www.cheshirefamilyfuneralhome.com

All services are under the care of Cheshire Family Funeral Home and Crematories, 46 South Winchester St., West Swanzey, NH. 03446. www.cheshirefamilyfuneralhome.com

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