Barbara “Basia” (Kaplon) Gruszewski, of Weymouth, died peacefully in her home on Friday, August 7, 2026. She was 71.

Barbara was born in Łabunie, Poland, on September 11, 1954, and was the daughter of the late Roman and Feliksa (Sobczak) Kaplon.

Barbara was raised in Łabunie, Poland, in the shadow of World War II, into a family that had survived the Holocaust and rebuilt with almost nothing. That upbringing shaped her for life where she was fiercely resourceful, unsentimental about hardship, and always found a way to make do, and then some. In 1972, she came to the United States, carrying that same resilience into a new country and a new life.

She marched to the beat of her own drum, and anyone who knew her knew better than to try to talk her out of it. She had opinions on everything and shared them freely, especially when she saw something she believed was wrong. To her daughter and her grandson, she was a true mama bear, protective and utterly devoted.

And devoted she was, especially to her grandson, Adam, the only boy and only grandson in the family, and without question the apple of her eye. Barbara's world revolved around him. She became an unlikely but die-hard Bruins fan and never missed one of Adam's hockey games, cheering from the stands with an energy that seemed to come from hockey itself. She loved soccer too, but hockey was where her heart lived, right alongside her grandson on the ice.

At home, Barbara was perfectly content. She loved a quiet day playing games on her iPad, and she loved a good card game even more, poker, and the Polish card games she grew up with.

Barbara was the devoted mother of Corina Schneider and her husband Kevin of Weymouth. She was the loving grandmother of Adam Schneider of Weymouth. Barbara was the dear sister of the late Janina Stryjewski.

Following cremation, services and interment will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be sent in Barbara's name to the charitable organization of one's choice.