Jessie Kusiak Handel

Jessie (Kusiak) Handel, 92, of East Hartford, loving wife of 55 years of the late Albert P. Handel, Jr., peacefully passed away with her family by her side on Wednesday, February 25, 2015. Born in Bloomfield on September 23, 1922, a daughter of the late Frank and Catherine (Mierzwinski) Kusiak, she had been a life-long resident of the East Hartford/Glastonbury area. Jessie was a graduate of Glastonbury High School, Class of 1940 and was a long-time communicant of Our Lady of Peace Church, East Hartford. Prior to her retirement, Jessie operated Homestead Farm Dairy in East Hartford for many years with her late husband, Albert. An avid golfer, she was a member of the East Hartford Women’s Golf Club since 1985. She also was a member of the Hillstown Grange #87, East Hartford since 1944 and belonged to the Rocking Red Hatters of the Red Hat Society. A talented bowler, she bowled in the Prime Timers Bowling League in East Hartford and the Early Birds Bowling League at Bowl-O-Rama in Newington.

Jessie is survived by a daughter, Carol Ann Hoffmann and her husband, Peter, of Germany; two sons, A. Philip Handel, III, PhD, and his wife, Maya, of Philadelphia, PA , and Robert D. Handel and his wife, Lisa, of East Hartford; two cherished grandchildren, Jared R. Handel of Kelly, WY and Rebecca “Becky” Handel of Honolulu, HI. She also leaves a sister, Josephine Kazarow of Ocean View, NJ; several nieces, nephews, and many dear friends and former customers. Besides her beloved husband and parents, Jessie was predeceased by a granddaughter, Erin Laurissa Handel of East Hartford.

Funeral service will be Saturday (March 7th) with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 10:30 am at Our Lady of Peace Church, May Road/Brandon Road, East Hartford. (Everyone is asked to please go directly to the church on Saturday morning). Burial will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Park, (Section 5), Elm Street, Rocky Hill. Relatives and friends may call at the D’ESOPO-East Hartford Memorial Chapel, 30 Carter Street, East Hartford on Friday (March 6th) from 4-7 pm. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Jessie’s name may be made to Oak Hill, 120 Holcomb Street, Hartford, CT 06112-1589. For on-line expressions of sympathy to the family please visit www.desopo.com.