Thaddeus “Ted” Tarasiak, Jr., 73, of Rutland formerly Worcester, died Wednesday, February 16th at home surrounded by his family. He leaves his wife of 40 years, Rosemary (Power) Tarasiak; a son, John Tarasiak, and his wife, Susan of Charlton; two daughters, Kimberly Abercrombie of Worcester and Katie Abercrombie and her husband, Rob Knudsen of Hanover; his siblings, Paul Tarasiak, Mark Tarasiak, Jane Gaudreau and her husband, Bob, Frances Tarasiak and her partner, Gordon, and Robert Tarasiak and his wife, Melania; his grandchildren, Sandy and Shawn Tarasiak, Jillian Simpson, and Reese and Gabriel Knudsen; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his son, Michael Tarasiak.

He was born in Saltzkotten, Germany the son of Tadeusz and Maria (Jaskiewicz) Tarasiak, and took great pride in his Polish heritage. Thaddeus attended Worcester Polytechnic Institute where he earned a certificate in Industrial Management. He was a member of St. Patrick’s Church and a former member of Our Lady of the Angels Church, Worcester. Thaddeus retired in 1993 as a supervisor from Cincinnati Milacron Heald Machine Division where he worked for 29 years. After retiring, Thaddeus took pride in his new job as a master of all trades. He was an avid New England Sports Fan, especially the Patriots and Red Sox. He enjoyed spending time hunting, being outdoors, being a master of crossword puzzles and sudoku. Thaddeus was an organ donor for his son, Michael, and was also a transplant recipient. Mr. Tarasiak was a friend of Bill W.

His funeral is Thursday, March 3rd with a Mass at 10:00 a.m. in Our Lady of the Angels Church, 1222 Main Street, Worcester. Burial will follow in Worcester County Memorial Park, Paxton. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the National Kidney Foundation, 209 W. Central Street, Natick, MA 01760. O’CONNOR BROTHERS FUNERAL HOME, 592 Park Avenue, Worcester is assisting the family with arrangements.