Dowling, Marie (Moretti)
Marie Moretti Dowling, 90, of Dallas died on February 1, 2021 of COVID19. She was born in North Arlington, NJ in October 1930 to Mary (Purciello) Moretti and Fred Moretti; graduated from North Arlington High School in 1948 and attended the Barbizon School of Modeling and worked as a young model in New York City. On a lark, in 1953 Marie went to a dude ranch where she met Frank Morgan Dowling of the Connecticut State Police and fell in love. They were married in February 1954 and moved to Newington, Connecticut. They had an enviable and joyous marriage until Frank died in 1985. Marie worked as Director of Convention Services for the Greater Hartford Convention Bureau. Marie loved the Lucy Robbins Wells Library in Newington, and served as Trustee for 39 years serving multiple terms as President, expanding the library while maintaining “Lucy's” unique character. Woe to any politician who threatened the library budget while Marie was alive! She served on the Executive Committees for the Association of Connecticut Library Boards and the Greater Hartford Tourism District. She was a member of the Newington Republican Town Committee for 20 years and was named Republican of the Year in 1998 but, when that Party lost direction, Marie joined the Democratic Party and served on the Democratic Town Committee.
In 2009 Marie moved to Dallas, to the Dakota in the Village Apartments where she was the senior-most resident and enthusiastic patio gardener. She was a vigorous Democrat a red state. In Dallas, she was a member of ARCE and the AIA, attending lectures and hosting speakers.
She is survived by her children, Amy O'Toole of Cromwell Connecticut and her partner, Al Rogala and Michael Morgan Dowling and his wife Melissa Barden Dowling of Dallas, as well as grandchildren Michael O'Toole, Kaytee O'Toole and her fiancé Patrice Cyril, and Castien Eliot Dowling. Marie just missed the arrival of great grandchild Amoura Elise Cyril, born 2/8/2021. In lieu of flowers, Marie requested donations to The Lucy Robbins Welles Library, Inc, 100 Garfield Street, Newington, CT 06111. Marie was kind, engaging, and a master of the interrogative conversation with a distinct and memorable personal style. She regaled all with stories of her life and love. She would have loved to have shared them with you.
Clara Arline Smith Hutt died on Thursday, February 25 at Mansfield Center for Nursing after a short illness. She was 99 years old. Clara was born in Manchester on August 11, 1921 to Amy Storrs Loomis Smith and Charles H. Smith. The family moved to Coventry when Clara was 12 years old, where she enjoyed living near her Loomis grandparents at Meadowbrook Farm and teaching Sunday School. Clara was a 1938 graduate of Manchester High School and the Morse College of Business in Hartford. In 1940 she started her first job as Secretary to the President at the Fred H. Williams Insurance Agency on Pearl Street, remaining until the birth of her daughter.
On July 2, 1949 she married John Balch Hutt at the Second Congregational Church in Coventry. They built a home together on Merrow Road (now Broad Way), Coventry, where they raised sheep, kept extensive vegetable and fruit gardens, and enjoyed country life. Clara devoted herself to family, church and children’s activities including Cub Scouts, 4-H clubs, music lessons, and trips around New England and California. She could always be counted on for local hiking, swimming or biking activities and winter sledding, cross country skiing, and skating outings. In 1973 she resumed her career as Executive Secretary to two vice presidents in the Trust Department at Connecticut Bank and Trust. She remained there for the next 23 years, retiring as an employee of Fleet Bank after several mergers and acquisitons. Clara and John shared love of history by serving as volunteer guides at the Nathan Hale Homestead in Coventry. At Old Sturbridge Village, Clara greeted visitors from around the world in costume on the common, and during inclement weather, staffed the ballroom of the Towne House.
Clara was predeceased by her husband. She leaves her daughter, Priscilla Hutt Williams of Townsend, Massachusetts, and her son, Bruce Charles Hutt of Coventry; her cousins Elaine Mayland of Glastonbury, Louise England of Manchester, Arthur England of Manchester, Franklin England of Coventry, and Wayne England of Vernon; a great-niece and great-nephew, Brenda deLeon and Richard deLeon, both of Santa Maria, California, and their children.
Burial and service of remembrance will be held on Saturday, April 24, 2021 at 11 am at East Cemetery in Manchester. Memorial gifts may be made to Second Congregational Church, 1746 Boston Turnpike, Coventry, CT 06238 or Joshua’s Trust, PO Box 4, Mansfield Center, CT 06250. For online condolences please visit www. pietrasfuneralhome.com.