Obituary of Mary C. Rayner

Mary C. Rayner, 88, of Chester and Haddam, Connecticut passed away peacefully on September 2, 2014 at home surrounded by her family. She was the beloved wife of Bruce A. Rayner for 65 years. Mary was born in Chester on December 5, 1925 the daughter of Antonio J. and Evadna (Rutty) Calamari. She graduated from Chester High School in 1942 where she met the love of her life. Mary and Bruce were married on April 15, 1950. Prior to her retirement Mary had worked as a bookkeeper for both the Chester Lumber Company and the John Zanardi Oil Company. Mary and Bruce built two homes in Chester and have always resided next door to Mary's sister, Hazel Negrelli and her husband Bernard where you could always see a path between their homes. Mary loved her home and was known for her Christmas tree ornament collection and the trimming of several themed trees each year. She was interested in genealogy and researched her Calamari and Rutty family ancestry. She was a talented knitter and loved knitting for her family as well as donating her knitted goods to veteran's organizations. She enjoyed travel and entertaining family and friends. Besides her husband Bruce, Mary is survived by her sister, Hazel Negrelli. She was predeceased by her parents, her brother, John L. Calamari and her brother-in-law, Bernard Negrelli. Mary is survived by her three nieces, Wendy King and her husband John of Chester, Beth Wood and her husband Richard of Truro, Massachusetts and Toni Myers and her companion, Ray Swol of Moodus. Mary was also a special Aunt to Edward and Alan Blaschik and Joanne Nichols all of East Haddam. She will also be missed by several Grand and Great- Grand nieces and nephews who she lovingly called her "little rascals". She will always be remembered for her nurturing, kind and gentle spirit and the abundance of love that she shared so freely. She was especially blessed to watch as three generations of nieces and nephews grew up before her eyes. Mary was a communicant of St. Joseph's Church in Chester. Visitation will be held on Friday, September 5, 2014 at the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, 34 Main Street in Centerbrook from 5:00PM. to 7:00PM. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at Saint Joseph's Church, 48 Middlesex Avenue in Chester on Saturday, September 6, 2014 at 10:00AM. Burial will follow in the Resurrection Cemetery, Route 145 in Westbrook. Memorial contributions may be made in Mary's name to Saint Joseph's Church, or to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105. To share a memory of Mary or send a condolence to her family please visit www.rwwfh.com