Mary Elizabeth Monnier

NORTH CANAAN — Mary Elizabeth (Mather) Monnier, 85, of 57 Bragg St. passed on March 18, 2024, at her home. She was the wife of the late Howard F. Monnier, Sr., who passed on June 1, 2008. Mary was born at Fairview Hospital in Great Barrington, Massachusetts, on Dec. 28, 1938. She was the daughter of the late James A. and Mildred (Tracy) Mather.

Mary graduated from Housatonic Valley Regional High School in 1956 and went on to Bay Path Junior College where she majored in commercial arts, graduating in 1958. Mary went on to become a well-known artist here in the Northwest Corner and was a past member of several art guilds.

Mary loved Canaan dearly and in the early 1970s she and her family left their beloved home in Bakerville, Connecticut, and returned home to Canaan to live in the house that her great-grandfather built. She was on the board of the Canaan History Center and a member of the Cranford Club, the Beautification Committee and the Events Committee in town. She was extremely active in the revitalization of the Canaan Railroad Depot and supportive of all efforts to re-energize the town. As a part of this effort, Mary designed the “Canaan Back on Track” train that was widely seen.

Mary is survived by her son, Howard F. Monnier, Jr. of Canaan, her brother Tracy G. Mather and his wife Patricia of Huntington, Connecticut; her sister Jane M. Farrell and her husband Paul of Franklin, Massachusetts; brother-in-law Wayne Monnier of Alachua, Florida; two grandsons, Brandon J. Monnier and his wife Geri of Vermont, and Ryan S. Monnier of New York. Mary is also survived by her six great-grandchildren; Kayden, Kennah, Karmen, Jennifer, Elliot and Maverick. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews as well as countless dear lifelong and new friends. Mary is predeceased by her two daughters, Jennifer and Amy Monnier.

A Celebration of Life will be held graveside at Mountain View Cemetery 80 Sand Rd Canaan, CT on March 25, 2024, at 12:00 p.m. There are no calling hours. Memorial donations may be sent to either the North Canaan Volunteer Ambulance Corps PO Box 178 Canaan, CT 06018 or to the Canaan Fire Company PO Box 642 Canaan, CT 06018. Arrangements are under the care of the Newkirk-Palmer Funeral Home 118 Main St. Canaan, CT 06018.

Latest News

Cornwall board approves purchase of two new fire trucks following CVFD recommendation
CVFD reaches fundraising goal for new fire trucks
Provided

CORNWALL — At the recommendation of the Cornwall Volunteer Fire Department, on Jan. 20 the Board of Selectmen voted to move forward with the purchase of two new trucks.

Greenwood Emergency Vehicles, located in North Attleboro, Massachusetts, was chosen as the manufacturer. Of the three bids received, Greenwood was the lowest bidder on the desired mini pumper and a rescue pumper.

Keep ReadingShow less
Robin Lee Roy

FALLS VILLAGE — Robin Lee Roy, 62, of Zephyrhills, Florida, passed away Jan. 14, 2026.

She was a longtime CNA, serving others with compassion for more than 20 years before retiring from Heartland in Florida.

Keep ReadingShow less
Marjorie A. Vreeland

SALISBURY — Marjorie A. Vreeland, 98, passed away peacefully at Noble Horizons, on Jan. 10, 2026.She was surrounded by her two loving children, Richard and Nancy.She was born in Bronxville, New York,on Aug. 9, 1927, to Alice (Meyer) and Joseph Casey, both of whom were deceased by the time she was 14. She attended public schools in the area and graduated from Eastchester High School in Tuckahoe and, in 1946 she graduated from The Wood School of Business in New York City.

At 19 years old, she married Everett W. Vreeland of White Plains, New York and for a few years they lived in Ithaca, New York, where Everett was studying to become a veterinarian at Cornell. After a short stint in Coos Bay, Oregon (Mike couldn’t stand the cloudy, rainy weather!) they moved back east to Middletown, Connecticut for three years where Dr. Vreeland worked for Dr. Pieper’s veterinary practice.In Aug. of 1955, Dr. and Mrs. Vreeland moved to North Kent, Connecticut with their children and started Dr. Vreeland’s Veterinary practice. In Sept. of 1968 Marjorie, or “Mike” as she wished to be called, took a “part-time job” at the South Kent School.She retired from South Kent 23 years later on Sept. 1, 1991.Aside from office help and bookkeeping she was secretary to the Headmaster and also taught Public Speaking and Typing.In other times she worked as an assistant to the Town Clerk in Kent, an office worker and receptionist at Ewald Instruments Corp. and as a volunteer at the Kent Library.

Keep ReadingShow less
Rafael A. Porro

SALISBURY -— Rafael A. Porro, 88, of 4 Undermountain Road, passed away Jan. 6, 2026, at Sharon Hospital. Rafael was born on April 19, 1937 in Camaguey, Cuba the son of Jose Rafael Porro and Clemencia Molina de Porro. He graduated from the Englewood School for Boys in Englewood, New Jersey and attended Columbia University School of General Studies. Rafael retired as a law library clerk from the law firm of Curtis, Mallet Prevost in 2002 and came to live in Salisbury to be nearer to his sister, Chany Wells.

Rafael is survived by his sister, Chany Wells, his nephew Conrad Wells (Gillian), and by numerous cousins in North Carolina, Florida, Wyoming, Arizona, Cuba and Canada. He was the eldest of the cousins and acknowledged family historian. He will be greatly missed.

Keep ReadingShow less