Maria Maksymiuk Leja

She was born in the Ivano-Frankivsk region of Ukraine and has lived in New Britain for over 50 years. She was a member of Sacred Heart Church and retired from Emhart Corporation.

She was a wonderful and caring person who would go out of her way to give a helping hand especially for her family. She survived the war on her own and ultimately met her husband afterwards. They settled in England after the war and finally made their way to America in the 1950s. Later in life she helped family in the Ukraine and brought her niece and nephews to America to help give them a better life and with their good fortune helped others to emigrate here as well. She made many trips over the years to her beloved country and just recently made the trip back all by herself to see her family and country in her words for "one last time". She will be missed by her son Edward, who took care of her at home and devoted his time and energy to take care of her, her daughter Irene who she spent so much time traveling with, shopping, going out to eat, and just simply talking. She will also be missed by her grandson Andrew who she loved beyond words and Chloe her beloved great grand-daughter.

She is also survived by two sisters and several nieces and nephews as well as a large extended family. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Marian Leja and a brother and sister.

There will never be another person like her. She was one in a million.

Funeral services will be on Thursday, December 17, 2015 at 8:30 AM at the New Britain Memorial Sagarino Funeral Home, 444 Farmington Ave. New Britain, followed by the funeral liturgy at 9:30 AM at Sacred Heart Church. Burial will follow at Sacred Heart Cemetery.

Calling hours will be on Wednesday, December 16th from 4:00 to 7:00 PM PM at the funeral home, (Directions, Exit 37 off I-84 take a right at the exit, funeral home is 1 ½ miles on your right.

To share a memory with the family, please go towww.newbritainsagarino.com