Bakaj, Emilia P.Emilia Bakaj (nee Plaskon) passed away on November 3, 2016, following a long battle with cancer. She was surrounded by her family and her loving husband, Stephen.Emilia was born on October 21, 1951 in Poland to Piotr and Antonina Plaskon who raised their family in Zukow, Poland. The eldest of four daughters, Emilia emigrated to the United States in 1971 and immediately established roots in Stamford, Connecticut. It is there that she united with her uncle, John Plaskon, her aunt, Maria (nee Plaskon) and her husband John Kuzewicz. Having left communist Poland to seek a life of freedom and opportunity, she immediately paved a way forward in realizing those dreams, which is exemplified by her quickly earning an Associate's Degree. In 1978, Emilia met Stephen Bakaj while attending an Easter dinner with friends and family in New York City, and shortly thereafter became engaged and were married on October 6, 1979. Emilia was a stay-at-home mom, a mentor, and a care taker. She and Stephen raised two children. Emilia's independent spirit and tenacity was contagious, and her childrens' success, both personally and professionally, is a derivative of her loving devotion and duty to family, which she embodied in her daily life. The love she exuded and the determination to do what was necessary for her family's wellbeing, happiness, and future opportunity was evident when she sacrificed opportunities for herself. For example: Emilia sacrificed a great deal when she became the caretaker for her aunt and uncle, John and Maria Kuzewicz, who suffered from Parkinson's and Alzheimer's, respectively. She encouraged her children when significant life events occurred to ensure that they were always on the right path. She was devoted to her faith and was an active member of St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Catholic Cathedral. On her last full day with us, Emilia continued to exude both absolute strength and a quick wit, providing comfort to those around her. With that, she embodied what it means to be a wife, mother and a grandmother to be. She never retired from her profession. Emilia was a longtime parishioner of St. Vladimir's Ukrainian Catholic Church as well as a member of the Church Choir.Emilia is survived by her husband, Stephen; her son Andrew and his expecting wife Alesandra of Virginia; her daughter Maria and her significant other George Wines of Colorado; and her sisters Danuta (Zalewa), Maria (Perun), and Halina (Masciuch), and their respective families who reside in Poland.Family and friends may call at The Nicholas F. Cognetta Funeral Home & Crematory, 104 Myrtle Avenue, Stamford, CT 06902 on Sunday, November 6, 2016 from 2:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. A funeral procession will be leaving the funeral home on Monday, November 7, 2016 at 9:30 a.m. and processing to St. Vladimir's Cathedral Ukrainian Catholic Church, 24 Wenzel Terrace, Stamford, CT, 06902 for a Mass of Christian Burial. Interment will follow at Holy Spirit Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, Campbell Hall, New York.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations may be made to St. Vladimir's Cathedral Ukrainian Catholic Church, 24 Wenzel Terrace, Stamford, CT, 06902 in Emilia's memory. To leave online condolences, please visit www.cognetta.com