Rosae (Lynn) Zak

It’s with a very heavy heart that we announce the passing of the most stunningly beautiful, strong, and the most stubborn woman that we have ever known, our mother Rosae Lynn Zak, from Danielson, passed with her children and sister by her side. Born on July 23, 1944 in Scranton Pa, to the late Francis J. Lynn of Stroudsburg, PA and Catherine Kerr Bugbee of Windham CT. When our mother was about 3 years of age, her mother began working at a children’s orphanage called Friendship House, because her mother worked there, she was able to live there. While at the Orphanage our mother developed a very special bond with a nurse named Sarah Meares, who our mother called Mama Meares . Mama Meares was with our mother thru all her surgeries. Our mother was also a very mischievous child when other house mothers would put her in the corner, Mama Meares  would say “now we can’t have this” and she would assign my mother to “work” with her and go around and hand out cookies and milk to the other children. Mom said she had so much fun there. Our mother always told us living at the orphanage was the best time in her life, other than raising her 12 children, and how much she loved Mama Meares. When mom was 11 years old her family moved to live in Coventry CT.  Mom worked on and off at the former Mansfield Training School and Killingly Grammar School. Our mother loved people. She could talk to anyone especially the very young and the very old. Our mother had an amazing personality she loved to laugh and have fun, she loved to play tricks on people, she was also the most stubborn person we have ever met. Our mother was always there for her Children in one capacity or another. Her family would like to thank all the staff at Backus Hospital, Doctor Slater, Doctor Colletti, Nurses on A 3 and ICU especially Nurse Shelia, Nurse Zachary and Dr. D. Rosae leaves behind her children: Jack Blankenship of East Hampton CT wife Mary, Jeffrey Blankenship of Storrs CT, Her devoted daughter Rosae “Marie” Watrous who truly loved her unconditionally and her husband Steven, Catherine Nadeau of Moosup CT, James  Gavis of Windham CT, Richard  Gavis of Danielson CT, Matthew Gavis of Norwich CT, Lisa Gavis of Brooklyn CT, Leland Zak of MA, Keirre Leigh Zak of Rocky Hill CT, her devoted sister Janet Lynn of Pomfret CT and brother Harold Bugbee of Killingly CT, 29 grandchildren and 10 greatgrand children. Rosae is predeceased by her sons John Scott Blankenship and Glenn Andrew Gavis; sister Mary (Lynn) Irwin; brother Raymond Stead Bugbee.  Rosae’s family will receive relatives and friends on Thursday, February 27, 2020 from 9:30am to 11:00am at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St. Willimantic, with her funeral service beginning at 11:00am at the funeral home.  Burial to follow at the New Willimantic Cemetery, Willimantic. Donations may be made to: Canines for Disabled Kids, 65 James St. Suite 210, Worcester, MA 01603. 

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