Mary Jane Luscutoff

Mary Jane Albericci Luscutoff was born on Valentine’s Day, 1922. Her parents, Ernesto and Catherine Albericci, met and married in Jackson, California after each had emigrated from Italy. The couple then moved to Bryte, California, where they owned and operated the Albericci Ranch. Mary was the eleventh of thirteen children, all of whom worked on the Ranch. While she learned to love the agrarian life, she learned other valuable skills for survival as well, such as how to work alongside her older brothers and sisters while holding her ground and getting along with each other. Family was of utmost importance to Mary. Though her father died when she was only ten years old, she continued a deep and steadfast relationship with her mother. Her mother taught her many things, but the one that stands out the most brightly is how she and her mother made raviolis together from scratch.  While working on the Ranch, Mary received a telegram offering her a position with the Department of Motor Vehicles. That was the beginning of her career working for the State of California which lasted thirty-eight years.

Through a family connection, Mary met Andrew (Andy) Luscutoff. Mary and Andy dated and Mary wrote to Andy during World War II while Andy fought in the European Theatre. When Andy returned from the war, they were married on December 28, 1947, and their precious family followed. Mary loved her two boys, Jim and Bruce, fiercely. The boys are just one year apart in age, and Mary included them in all activities. She made matching shirts for Andy and the boys, and a dress for herself out of the same material so when they went to the horseraces, the fair, and other outings with large groups of people, she would be able to find her boys in the crowd. Mary was an avid baseball fan and played semi-professional softball. Her team was sponsored by Dr. Pepper. Mary availed herself of some of the hard lessons learned on the Ranch when Andy, her beloved husband, died unexpectedly on May 15, 1968. This was an enormous loss as it left her alone with two boys who were fifteen and sixteen years old at the time. Mary persevered through the next years using self-reliance and inner strength to get her boys through high school, college, marriage, and the blessing of grandchildren.  Mary remained very loyal and active in the lives of all her family members. She babysat and was a nanny to each grandchild as needed. She volunteered countless hours at the catholic schools where her grandchildren attended, crocheted beautiful blankets for the auctions and fundraisers there, as well as always offering up her much coveted raviolis for church dinners and faculty luncheons. 

Mary was known for her excellent raviolis as she gave them to priests, to friends, to family on holidays, and she even hosted Bishop Quinn in her home to whom she also served her raviolis. Making raviolis with her mother and passing down the tradition was one of her most proud accomplishments. She once said, “If I had enough money, I would feed the entire world raviolis, and no one would go hungry.” Through all the years Mary was known for her immaculately kept house and yard. No matter what time of day, or day of week, a person could drop by Mary’s unannounced and be welcomed into a freshly polished, warm, inviting home by a freshly polished, warm, inviting woman who was always in sophisticated attire.  Mary was a force and model to be recognized. Her life story and commitment to family are hard to exceed.

Mary is survived by her son and daughter-in-law, Jim and Marianne Luscutoff; her son and daughter-in-law, Bruce and Lorraine Luscutoff; five grandchildren: Trudy (Luscutoff) Fraser (Shane Fraser), Adrienne (Luscutoff) Adams (Kevin Adams), Alex Luscutoff, Derek Luscutoff, and Parker Luscutoff; and four great grandchildren: Brittany and Rowdy Fraser (Olivia Brewington), and Jackie and Frank Adams. A rosary will be held in Mary’s honor on Tuesday, March 15, at 7:00 pm at W.F. Gormley & Sons located at 2015 Capitol Avenue, Sacramento. Funeral Mass will be on Wednesday, March 16, at 11:00 am located at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church, 911 Park Boulevard, West Sacramento. Interment will follow at St. Mary’s Cemetery, 6509 Fruitridge Road, Sacramento.