Alma Roginel, 94, entered into eternal rest on January 22, 2016, at Yale-New Haven Hospital. She was the beloved wife of the late Anthony J. Roginel.
Mrs. Roginel was born in Ansonia on January 28, 1921, daughter of the late Antoni and Aleksandra Bielska Rafalowski.
She was a graduate of St. Joseph’s School in Ansonia and Ansonia High School. She was a resident of Ansonia before moving to Derby thirty-five years ago. Alma and her husband Tony were the owners of the former Town Liner Drive-In in Derby and later were the proprietors of one of the first Kentucky Fried Chicken Restaurants in the area (Derby KFC) which they proudly and successfully operated until their retirement in 1987. Alma was a devoted and active communicant of St. Joseph Church in Ansonia where she was the oldest member of the Women’s Guild and an original member of the Mission Circle. Having a deep faith and trust in God, she was a dedicated worker and donor for parish religious, social and fundraising events and received the prestigious St. Joseph Medal of Honor from the Archdiocese of Hartford for her devotion. When she was unable to attend Mass in person, she enjoyed watching it on television which she did almost every day. She was very proud of her Polish heritage and belonged to many Polish fraternal organizations. She was a life member of the Polish Falcons Nest 36 in Ansonia where she served as past treasurer and attended many Falcon state and national conventions. Alma was a lifetime member of the Derby Historical Society and took a special interest in the creation and maintenance of the Thaddeus Kosciuszko Room located in the Historical Society Building in Ansonia.
Although she had no children of her own, she spread her abundant love to her many nieces and nephews including, Robert Skoronski, Judith LaMonico, Attorney Eugene A. Skowronski, Attorney Theodore E. Skowronski, Henry Anderson, Alma Zyskoski, Raymond Potkay, Sr. Dolores Potkay, Attorney Thomas Peppler, Steven Peppler, Kenneth Peppler, Judith Raffey, Loretta Lacasse, Mary Raffey and Jack Seipel and to her many grandnieces, grandnephews, great grandnieces, great grandnephews and her great great grandnephew. She was predeceased by a brother, Arthur Raffey, sisters, Gladys Androski, Wanda Zyskoski, Helen Potkay, Edwiga Peppler and a nephew, Frank Skoronski.
Visiting hours will be held on Wednesday January 27, 2016, from 4 – 7 pm in the chapel of the SPINELLI-RICCIUTI/BEDNAR-OSIECKI FUNERAL HOME, 62 Beaver Street in Ansonia. On Thursday, on the occasion of her 95th birthday, her funeral will take place at 9:15 am from the funeral home, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:00 am at St. Joseph Church in Ansonia with Rev. Mitchell Wanat, Pastor, celebrating. Interment will immediately follow in the family plot in St. Michael Cemetery in Derby.
In lieu of flowers, contributions in Alma’s memory may be made to St. Joseph Church, 32 Jewett Street, Ansonia, CT 06401 or through the funeral home.
To send an act of sympathy, please visit www.spinelliricciutifh.com.
