Obituary of Astri Bulavinetz

Astri Bulavinetz (nee Melbo) of Queens, NY passed peacefully on January 17, 2020, at 88 years of age. Beloved wife of the late Peter Bulavinetz, loving mother of Susan (Ken), Peter (Elizabeth), Richard (Lydia), Lisa (Joe) Zaino, and Karen (John) Romanelli, grandmother (FarMor and MorMor) of Peter (Kim), Kristen, Alexa, Kaitlin, Melanie, Joseph, Amanda, Jack, and Khloe, and great-grandmother of Lucy, Petey, Andrew, and Charlie. Beloved sister of the late Margrethe and Erling, and is survived by her sister Signy (all of Norway). Sister-in-law to the late Joseph Bulavinetz. She is also survived by her extended family in Norway. Astri was born in Stavanger, Norway on December 7, 1931 and came to New York in 1949. After arriving by boat, she lived with her Tanta Amanda in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. She attended night school and then got a job in Manhattan. During this time, she met her future husband, Pete, a cop on the beat, while walking to the train station. He walked her whenever he saw her. They dated, fell in love, then married on October 24, 1953. They lived in Jackson Heights and started a family. They later moved into their dream home in Douglaston. Astri was very happy and proud of her adopted country and in 1957 became a US Citizen. Astri was a devoted wife and mother. She loved to garden and was an avid gardener up until a few years ago. She loved animals and enjoyed knitting and knitted dolls for orphans in Romania. Astri loved to celebrate everything that made America the melting pot it is. She made perogies better than her Ukrainian mother-in-law, we ate corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day, Matzoh for Passover, and displayed the American flag at every holiday. She loved to entertain and set a beautiful dining table with formal dinnerware, flowers, and candles. She loved any excuse to have a party or celebration. Sadly, in 1980, Astri suddenly lost her husband Pete. He was the love of her life, and she chose never to remarry. She devoted the rest of her life to her children and grandchildren. She took great joy in babysitting her grandchildren whenever she could. She died peacefully in bed surrounded by her family. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in her memory to the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.