- Date Of Birth: September 3, 1942
- Date Of Death: April 29, 2022
- State: Pennsylvania
Catarina Rudoi, 79, of Bethlehem Township, passed away peacefully in her home on Friday, April 29, 2022, surrounded by her loving family. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, she was the daughter of the late Pedro and Maria (Tarasov) Rudoi.
Catarina Rudoi is survived by her four devoted children – Alfredo (Pleshette) Yastrebov, Suzana (John) Carey, Ruth (Daniel) Gallo, and Elizabeth Hawk. Catarina, or Baba, as she was known to her grandchildren and those close to her, was a loving, caring, Christian woman who put God and family first. Her loving grandchildren – Owen Clemmer, Ethan Clemmer, Emmett Carey, Michael Carey, Daniel Carey, William Gallo, Henry Gallo, and Lucy Gallo, will all miss her very much. Catarina was fun-loving, lively, and sweet. She charmed people and made new friends wherever she went and always left a lasting impression. She was a woman who excelled in many areas; she was a talented seamstress, hairdresser, and business owner, as well as a wonderful cook and baker, and excellent homemaker. She spoke seven languages (English, Portuguese, Ukrainian, Russian, Italian, Spanish, and Polish). Catarina learned these languages over the years because people, communication, world cultures, and personal connections were everything to her, and she would work to overcome any obstacle. She was known for her wonderful sense of humor, contagious laugh, and superb parties. Food was her love language, and cooking and baking were skills she loved to share with others.
Above all else, Catarina was completely devoted to her family and to being a mother. She raised four children on her own after divorcing her husband after years of marriage while simultaneously caring for her dear mother who lived with Alzheimer’s Disease for many years. She was a caring woman who also brought her sweet grandmother and grandfather to America from Brazil so that she could care for them until their passing. Catarina ensured that all of her children excelled in school and attended college to make available to them opportunities she did not have growing up. She most especially was sure that her children were immersed in her Brazilian and Ukrainian heritage by sharing the language and traditions she was raised with. Catarina brought up her children in the church, having frequented First Ukrainian Evangelical Baptist Church, Lehigh Baptist Church, Brazilian Baptist Church of Philadelphia, and other Protestant churches in the Philadelphia area, so that she could share the love of God with them. There wasn’t a day that passed where she did not pray for the love of Jesus to live within the hearts of her children. For nearly 20 years, she was a faithful member of Calvary Baptist Church in Easton where she enjoyed music and fellowship. Catarina very much enjoyed singing, and she sang in various church choirs over the years. She had a beautiful soprano voice. Catarina also appreciated the importance of missionary work, and was honored to be able to join in trips to Guatemala and Romania with church missions teams.
Catarina moved to the United States in 1967 from São Paulo, Brazil, and made a home and a life in Philadelphia, PA until she moved to Bethlehem, PA in 2004. Catarina is also survived by many dear friends, cousins, and her two brothers Peter Rudoi and Walter Rudoi. She will be greatly missed by all, including her loving Maltipoo Teddy and all the attentive and wonderful home care and hospice nurses and aides.
