Marcia Sperry Cousins
Marcia Sperry Cousins of West Palm Beach, Florida, formerly of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, passed away peacefully on the morning of March 3rd, 2023. Born June 18th, 1934 in Norwalk, Connecticut to Alan Sperry and Katherine Haugh, Marcia lived in Westport as a child and later moved to Norwalk where she met her husband and love of her life, James Carroll Cousins. She graduated from Sacred Heart Academy in Stamford, Connecticut, earned a bachelor’s degree in Education at Western Connecticut State University and later, a Master of Science in Education from Fairfield University.
After graduation, Marcia was the first in her class to secure a teaching position at the Baker School in Darien. She later went on to teach for more than 25 years before retiring from the Redding Elementary School in 1992.
Marcia and Jim Married in 1957 and started their family in Norwalk, later moving to Redding in 1962 where, together, they built two houses over the span of the next 35 years.
Marcia was social, funloving and always a gracious, thoughtful hostess and entertainer. Whether it be gathering teachers for after-work drinks, inviting friends for a dinner party followed by a limbo dance contest, planning elaborate holiday meals with family at home or preparing freshly caught lobsters and clams in the galley of their boat, she eagerly embraced the role and was always quick to add an extra seat at the table for that last-minute guest.
For more than 70 years, she and Jim enjoyed cruising the waters of Long Island Sound, Block Island Sound, Vineyard Sound, the Connecticut River and Biscayne Bay. “Home port” was her beloved Shore and Country Club where she and Jim were active members for more than 60 years. Short trips around the waters of Norwalk and Darien grew into weekend cruises with family to ports along the North Shore of Long Island from Oyster Bay to Montauk and up and down the Connecticut coast. During one of these trips, they discovered Block Island where after many summers spent aboard the “Tükawile” at Transue’s Block Island Marina, they bought a rambling summer house, “Sunnyside”, together with close family friends, where they enjoyed summers for many more years.
In addition to her husband of 66 years, James C. Cousins, Marcia is survived by her son, James Cousins, Jr. (“Kye”) of Mexico City and daughters Maura Cousins of Block Island, Rhode Island and Katherine Evans and son-in-law, Robert Evans of Guilford, Connecticut.
Marcia will be dearly missed by her family and friends for her optimistic spirit, relentless drive, tenacity and good humor.
A Mass to honor Marcia’s life will be held this summer at Church of the Assumption at 98 Riverside Avenue, Westport, Connecticut.