Jill S. Ghi

NORTH CANAAN — Jill S. Ghi, 87, of North Canaan passed peacefully surrounded by family on August 18, 2023.  She was a loving sister, aunt, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend.  She was the widow of Anthony A. Ghi and daughter of the late Dorothy and Kenneth Stackpole, of Harrison, Maine.  Jill was born in Valhalla, New York, grew up in Pleasantville, New York, and graduated from Pleasantville High School in 1954.  She attended Hartford Hospital School of Nursing where she graduated as a registered nurse in 1957.  Shortly after graduation she got married and went to work at Winsted Memorial Hospital.  After moving to North Canaan in 1960, she helped run the family sign company with her husband of 40 years.

She was on The North Canaan Recreation Commission for 30 years, was a voting machine mechanic, active in the Red Hats and assisted her husband with his duties as the local building official.  Jill was a frequent volunteer at Red Cross blood banks, well baby clinics, blood pressure clinics and administered flu shots at Wangum Village from 1960 to around 1990.  As she began to back off from her duties involving the sign business she began to spent more and more summers in Harrison, Maine at her “camp” which was right next door to her sister Jane.  The two of them made it their job to attend church suppers, pancake breakfasts, pot pie dinners and any and all other local events in the town.  When she wasn’t supporting the community she was no doubt entertaining her children and doting after her grandchildren.

One of Jill’s favorite jobs was being the alumni coordinator for her nursing classmates. It was of special interest that she kept tabs on all her nursing school contemporaries and when a classmate didn’t respond to her calls, letters or e-mails she used her vast network to track them down and get the scoop.

Jill collected angels. If you had ever been in her home or ridden in her car, you, no doubt, saw the dozens of angel pendants, angel stickers and angel figurines scattered about. Some were plain, some were fancy, and others had sayings on them like; “Believe in angels”, “Don’t drive faster than your angel can fly”, “Believe in miracles”, “Reach for the stars” and “Have a dream”.  All very sage advice.  Jill is with her fellow angels now.**

Jill is survived by her sister Jane Seeds, her brother Joe Scelza, her sons Frank and Philip, her daughter-in-law Maria, six grandchildren, Jordan, Samantha, Dominic, Lily, Francesca and Alexis and her great-granddaughter, Maggie.

A special and heartfelt thanks to all the wonderful doctors, nurses, CNA’s, administrators and staff at the Stephens Memorial Hospital, Norway Nursing and Rehabilitation Center and Androscoggin Home Healthcare & Hospice in Norway, Maine.  Their kindness, caring, understanding and professionalism made all the difference at a very difficult time.

Please send any donations to Hartford Hospital School of Nursing Alumni Association Scholarship Fund.

The wake will be held at Newkirk Palmer Funeral Home in North Canaan on Sept. 11 from  5:30 to 7:30 p.m.

There will be a mass at Saint Martin of Tours, St. Joseph Church in North Canaan on Sept. 12 at 10:00 a.m.  The mass will be followed by a brief graveside burial at St. Joseph’s Cemetery and a reception at the VFW Post 6851 in North Canaan.