Margaret Wallace

Groton — Margaret “Betty” (DeBragga) Wallace, 101, of Groton, passed away peacefully Sunday, July 29, 2018.

She was born at home on Feb. 13, 1917, in Stonington, the daughter of the late Joseph and Elizabeth (Syme) DeBragga, and the sister of the late Joe DeBragga. Her parents were first-generation Americans, her mother hailing from Fife, Scotland, and her father from the Azores, Portugal.

She was a 1934 graduate of Stonington High School. She married her high school sweetheart, Gordon “Wally” Wallace, on June 30, 1938. They were married for 56 years, before he passed away in 1994. She was a homemaker all her life.

She loved reading and discussing history and current events. Her memory was immaculate; you could ask her anything about any decade and she could tell you all the details. Making your voice heard and voting were very important to her. She was 3 when the U.S. Constitution granted American women the right to vote, a right known as women’s suffrage, and was ratified on Aug. 18, 1920. She was also an avid dog lover and had many over her lifetime. Family was the most important thing to Betty, and she cherished them as much as they did her.

She will be deeply missed by her daughter Jane Moriarty (Wallace) and her husband Ken of Groton, and son Roy Wallace and his wife Betty of Charlotte, N.C. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Adam Moriarty (Alicia) of Groton, Eric Moriarty (Ashley) of Groton, Kate Morgan (Jen) of Phoenix, Ariz., and Denise Behrend (Mike) of North Carolina. In addition to her grandchildren and their spouses, she is survived by seven great-grandchildren.

Burial in Elm Grove Cemetery in Mystic, will be private for the family. Donations in her memory may be made to the Beechwood Recreational Fund, 31 Vauxhall St., New London CT 06320. The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl St., in historic downtown Mystic, is assisting the family.