It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Beatrice Messore who died suddenly on November 8, 2018 of a hemorrhagic stroke.  Beatrice came into this world in 1946 in a small village in Slovakia named Velke Rovne.  She loved her home and as a child explored nearby mountain paths, enjoyed mushroom picking in the forest, farming, caring for her pet goat and going to school.  She fell in love, married and had two children by the time she was 21.  In 1969, shortly after Russian tanks invaded Czechoslovakia she courageously followed her husband, leaving her family and all that she knew to take a chance and pursue the “American Dream”.  She took only a few belongings and her 4 year old son and 2 year old daughter.  Beatrice knew, that because of the political turmoil, leaving meant that she might never be able to return but she wanted the best for her children and chose to take a chance on this new life.  The first years were difficult for Beatrice who like her husband knew no English.  At 23 she was often left alone for hours caring for her children while her husband worked as many shifts as possible to improve the family’s financial situation.  She would walk to stores to get food and supplies and was very isolated in those early years, but over time many people befriended the family and the outpouring of love and kinship that grew around them transformed Bea’s life and that of her family.  As they began to form roots and when the children were old enough for school, Beatrice worked as a housekeeper and took night classes to earn a bookkeeping certificate.  She also studied gemology so that she could be as knowledgeable as possible while working at a jewelry store.  After years of hard work, the American Dream did come true and the family was able to move to their dream home in Hamden where Bea would reside for 26 years.  At that time, Bea also began working in retail and became a manager and buyer for a popular store chain in New Haven.  She traveled weekly to Manhattan to identify and choose new products for the store’s electronics department and was very successful in that career.  She worked long hours and still somehow always managed to cook every meal, fix every ailment, sew and knit clothing, keep an immaculate home and look stunning at all times.  She had a wonderful sense of humor and probably should have had her own cooking show.  In 1985 she married the love of her life, Raphael Messore.  After the wedding, Ralph and Bea visited Europe to celebrate their union and to spend time in Italy with Ralph’s family and also in Czechoslovakia with Bea’s family.  They had 33 years together, working side by side much of that time in the food catering business.  Many will remember “Bea’s Grill” food truck at Long Wharf in New Haven where her delicious food brought warmth and happiness to all.  She was also a talented wreath maker at Christmas time and her wreaths were not only ordered in advance but quickly sold out.  Those years were filled with joy and much laughter.  Ralph loved to sing to her and Bea loved to cook for him and they brought out the best in each other.  In the family it was known that Ralph had his own “private chef”.  Ralph also regaled her with famous movie lines that he could mimic and repeat many, many times with much zeal.  She will be most remembered for her love and kindness to all creatures, her phenomenal cooking skills, her green thumb and always wanting to help those in need.  Our hearts will be forever aching until we can all be reunited and the world will simply not be the same without her. 

In addition to her beloved husband Ralph, she leaves behind her daughter and best friend Beatrice Horvat and fiancé Mark Tennyson of Waterford, her step children Holli Sines and husband Don of Idaho, Christi Messore of New Haven, Albert Messore and wife MaryJane of East Haven, her sister Anna Rudinsky-Pollakova of Velke Rovne, Slovakia, her beloved cat Lukey and many nieces, nephews and cousins. 

Sadly, Bea was predeceased by both her parents, Anna and George Rudinsky, her son John Horvat in 2010 and her brother George Rudinsky in 2017.  A funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m. on November 16, 2018 at St. George Church in Guilford, 33 Whitfield Street, Guilford, CT.  Donations may be made to Halfway Home Rescue in North Haven at halfwayhomeresucue.org