Leona Bertha "Lee" Rubino Obituary (1917 - 2021)

Leona Bertha Rubino ("Lee"), passed away on Jan. 19, 2021. Lee resided in North Caldwell, NJ for many years, and resided at Sunrise Senior Living in Jackson NJ since March 2016. Lee was born Leona Bertha Belhumeur in Pascoag, Rhode Island on February 27, 1917. Her parents, Eugene Belhumeur and Pamelia (Boucher) Belhumeur, were of French-Canadian descent. Lee's mother passed away from the Spanish Flu in 1919, when Lee was just two years old. Lee was raised by her Aunt Ida in New Hampshire and spent summers on her grandparents' farm near West Hill Pond, Vermont. As a young girl, Lee moved with her Aunt and her Sister, Viola, to Newark, NJ. Lee attended Newark Arts School for two years and subsequently was employed by Sears Roebuck in Newark for many years where she was promoted to Division Manager. It was while working at Sears that Lee met and married the love of her life, Frank Joseph Rubino, also of Newark. Frank often told people that he found his dear wife in a Sears Roebuck catalogue. Frank would recount how he would walk up three flights of stairs at Sears to have Lee approve his customer returns. Frank and Lee were married in October, 1949. Shortly thereafter, Lee and Frank purchased their first home in Pompton Plains, NJ, and in 1960 moved to North Caldwell, NJ with their four young children. Lee took an active role in her children's schooling, activities and spiritual growth. She shared her artistic gifts with her children, inspiring them to be creative and inquisitive. She served as den mother for the North Caldwell Cub Scouts, and employed her artistic talents and skills in support of many school plays and fashion shows. In addition to being a devoted wife, mother, aunt, grandmother and great-grandmother, Lee helped her friends and neighbors in countless ways. She was very active at Holy Spirit Church in Pequannock, NJ and later at Notre Dame Church in North Caldwell NJ. For many years Lee participated on many church committees. Because of her initiation of and involvement in the Notre Dame Altar Guild, Lee was lovingly dubbed "President of the Mop Club". Lee sewed and hand embroidered baptismal gowns for the babies being baptized at Notre Dame. A June 2006 Notre Dame bulletin recognized Lee's handiwork in creating 1,653 baptismal garments over a 34-year period. Lee was a Eucharistic Minister for Notre Dame and brought communion, comfort and companionship to the sick and homebound for many years. Lee volunteered for many years at the Essex County Hospital in Cedar Grove, NJ, where she helped patients improve their lives through occupational therapy. Lee was the loving wife of Frank Rubino for 65 years. Frank passed away in April 2015. Lee is survived by her daughters, Pam Melchior of Toms River, NJ, Catherine Rubino of Alexandria, VA, Francine (Rubino) Mellott and son-in-law Michael Mellott of Underhill, VT, her son, Donald Rubino and daughter-in-law Maryann (Angiouli) Rubino of Sparta, NJ. She is predeceased by her son-in-law David Melchior. She also leaves behind seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Lee is pre-deceased by her siblings Alfred, Arthur and George Belhumeur and Viola Vecchi. Lee's calm, quiet, reserved presence and her deep spirituality was forever evident in her countless acts of selfless kindness, compassion and love for others. The Rubino family extends their deepest appreciation to all the Sunrise staff and friends who enriched Lee's final years with comfort, care and friendship. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lee's honor may be made to Missionaries of Charity (Mother Teresa Sisters "Soup Kitchen"), 168 Sussex Avenue, Newark, NJ 07103, or at http://www.motherteresa.org VITAS Healthcare (Hospice- "Jersey Shore"), 1040 Broad Street, Suite 300, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702, St. Joseph's Church Food Pantry, 685 Hooper Avenue, Toms River, NJ 08753, or a food bank of your choosing to aid food insecurity. A graveside service will be private. A celebration of Lee's life will be held at a future date when all are able to gather safely to honor her legacy.