Paul Matthew Ruszin

On December 11^th, 2021, Paul M. Ruszin, Sr. went peacefully to be with the Lord at the age of 96. A devoted father, he transitioned to eternal life surrounded by the love and presence of his children, Paul M. Ruszin, Jr., Janice Dietz, and Richard Ruszin, Sr.

He was the beloved son of the late Frank Ruszin, Sr. and Mary Ruszin (Dinko); loving husband of the late Mildred Ruszin (Szpatura) and the late Clarine “Louise” Ruszin; brother to the late Thomas Ruszin, Frank Ruszin, Jr., Elizabeth Switzer, Marguerite Bishop, and Veronica Ruszin, who survives him.

Paul grew up in Smock, Pennsylvania and loved playing with Lincoln Logs and stickball with his friends until his mother called him home for dinner. He always enjoyed sampling her many homemade desserts, especially her poppy seed roll, which was his favorite. But even as Paul grew up, he always remained a kid at heart. He was a regular Good Time Charlie who loved train gardens, parades, working in his children’s gardens, and waterslides (which he rode well into his seventies).

Paul was a proud, multilingual Navy veteran who loved adventure. He was curious and woke up each morning “bright-eyed and bushy-tailed,” ready to do or see something new, like the Grand Canyon, California’s Redwood National Park, and the Austrian Alps. He was an avid traveler and was incredibly proud of his ability to navigate using maps, in addition to having visited 49 states, plus 38 countries including Mexico, Germany, and Italy. Wherever he went, he made it a point to visit each locale’s most stunning churches, which he admired for their stunning beauty and architecture.

Once an avid gambler, Paul prided himself on collecting rolls of free quarters from the many casinos along the Atlantic City boardwalk, where he’d play slot machines using house money. His luck paid off when he won a $5,000 jackpot—and he would have won a Jeep, too, if a lady nearby hadn’t hopped in the seat he was walking towards.

He enjoyed watching Westerns and listening to the music of the 1950s and 60s, especially Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin, and loved eating food just as much as he loved cooking it. Some of his favorites were Ukrainian Halushki, dry-rubbed ribs, brisket, cream of broccoli soup, and good fried fish. In the summer, there was nothing he loved more than spending time with his family, a table of steamed crabs, and an ice-cold beer. In his later years, his favorite outing evolved into a trip to McDonald’s for a fish filet and a cup of piping hot coffee. After all, he’d say, McDonald’s has the best. At night, he enjoyed winding down with a rum and Coke, and a pair of Dove chocolates.

Paul was a loving uncle to his many nieces and nephews, in addition to being an immensely devoted grandfather (affectionately known as Yido) to his five grandchildren, Lauren, Kristine, Glenn, Ricky, and Gina, all of whom inherited his love of travel. He made each of them feel special and was fiercely proud that they grew up to be marketing managers, lawyers, boat captains, writers, and mothers. Paul frequently sang to them and his great-grandchildren, Melania, Max, Caroline, Adalynn, and Quinn, in both Ukrainian and English, with one of his favorite songs being “You Are My Sunshine.” And there couldn’t be a more perfect song to serve as a reminder of him, because there was not a room that Paul failed to light up with his sunshine, his youthful spirit, and his boundless, unconditional love.

In lieu of flowers please consider making a donation to Samaritan's Purse Relief https://www.samaritanspurse.org/

Visitation with family will be on Tuesday from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the CONNELLY FUNERAL HOME of DUNDALK 7110 Sollers Point Road. A funeral service will be held on Wednesday at 10:00 AM at Our Lady Of Hope 1727 Lynch Rd. Interment will follow at St. Michael Ukrainian Catholic Church Cemetery.