Muriel Rea

MANCHESTER — Muriel (Gardiner) Rea, 87, of Vernon and formerly of Manchester, widow of Thomas W. Rea, died Sept. 7, 2008, at an area convalescent home.

Born in Hartford April 14, 1921, she was a daughter of the late Katherine (Quigley) and Edward Gardiner. She was raised in Hartford and moved to Manchester in 1958. She was a longtime parishioner of St. Bridget Church, a member of VFW Post 2046 Auxiliary and a longtime secretary for the Delta Club. She was an avid reader and was a frequent contributor to the letters page of the Hartford Courant.

Mrs. Rea is survived by two daughters and three sons, Ellen Tarpinian and her husband, Arthur, of Ellington, Nancy Demirgian and her husband, Richard, of Broad Brook, Thomas Rea Jr. and his wife, Maria, of Winsted, Timothy Rea and his wife, Edith, of Coventry, and Jeffrey Rea and his wife, Diane, of Andover; 20 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and her special friend, Lorraine Sullivan.

In addition to her husband, she was predeceased by a daughter, MaryJane Wilde; a brother, Edward Gardiner; and two sisters, Gertrude Conn and Catherine Donovan.

Funeral services and burial were held Sept. 11 in Manchester. The Holmes Funeral Home in Manchester has care of arrangements.

Mrs. Rea’s family thanked the staff at Vernon Manor and DaVita Dialysis for the wonderful care and kindness provided to their mother.

Memorial contributions may be made to the American Kidney Foundation, 6110 Executive Blvd., Rockville, MD 20852. To sign the online guest book, visit holmes-watkinsfuneralhomes.com.