Jennie T (Twarog) Mis, lifelong New Bedford resident, passed away peacefully Saturday October 23, 2021.
She was the wife of the late Frederick P. Mis. Jennie was a member of the New Bedford High School Class of 1947 and a long-time communicant of St. Lawrence Church. Jennie worked at Sacred Heart Home for several years prior to her retirement.
She was Mom to Cindi Greiner, Paula Page, Stephen Mis, and Peter Mis. A mother like no other! She was grandmother to Marianne Rousseau, Dr. Ashely Greiner, Logan Greiner, Jordan Greiner, Alex Page, Steven Page, Michael Page, Derek Page, Stephanie Mis, Sydney Mis, and Lily Mis, great-grandmother to Lucas Rousseau, Jason Rousseau, and Greylen Gordon Greiner. Lots of nieces and nephews.
She is survived by her sister Helen Caton, pre-deceased by her sister Sophie Souza, and brothers Leon, Alfred, Walter, and Edwin Twarog.
Hers was a life of service and sacrifice, unselfishly committed to the needs and care of her family over those of her own. Her love was unconditional, as was her support and encouragement. Her faith guided her throughout her entire life, a source of her great strength, wisdom, and determination. She was a beacon of light and hope to all who stood in her presence, a light which still shines through those who knew her.
Ever resourceful, Jennie always found a way. Mountains became mere inconveniences. No home renovation or repair was ever too much. Just go to the library and check out the book. And her willingness to try new things. Cake decorating and floral arrangement classes at the Old Voke.
Opinionated? Very. Often loudly. She stood up for what she thought was right, her voice and her typewriter the tools she would use to call WBSM to share her thoughts on pressing local topics or writing letters to US Senators when she felt a need to call them out. Always respectfully, but always forcefully.
She always found time and ways to help others. She spent several years volunteering at the Religious Ministry at St. Luke’s Hospital. She was always scouring church sales and yard sales for clothes and other items that would find their way into local charitable organizations, or sending refurbished teddy bears and other stuffed animals to orphanages in Appalachia, or sending packages to her parent’s village in their native Poland. In her small, quiet way she was able to impact the lives of others, strangers in need. Jennie always found a way.
Willis Street was home base. The pine trees. The fire pit. The cookouts. The garden. The rope swing. The gatherings. The grass seldom grew in the summer in that yard. Wiffle ball, frisbee, just running around, kids free to just be kids. Hungry kids never had far to go. The house was always filled with the aroma of freshly baked cookies and cakes. Strawberry cheesecake! And the blue cups of Jello that she always seemed to have on hand.
Willis Street was also home to the only TV there was in the house, and several nights a week that TV was tuned to Channel 38 for Boston Bruins hockey. Over the years she became quite the Bruins fan, and like any true Bruins fan she held in her heart nothing but hatred and disdain for the Montreal Canadiens. How great it was for her to witness the Bruins’ Stanley Cup championship in 2011!
And for those who unknowingly walked into the kitchen while she was listening to Polish Happy Time full blast on her AM radio, dancing with her to the Polka music was not optional.
The holiday gatherings were epic. Thanksgiving dinner with the world’s best turkey gravy, (just watch out for Steve stealing turkey off your plate when you weren’t looking), home-made apple pies, and everyone gloriously stuffed with the meal she unselfishly started at 5 AM earlier that day while the rest of us slept. Christmas Eve Wigilia, a Polish tradition she kept alive for us all, tirelessly preparing the food and making sure we all understood the significance of what was before us. Always giving, always teaching.
We will miss her re-telling the stories of her youth, especially the ones involving her twin brother Walter, but they are forever ingrained within us.
Reflecting upon her life makes us all realize how fortunate we all were to have had Jennie in our own.
91 years, 6 months, 27 days.
Rest easy…