Arnette McCulloch

Old Lyme — Arnette (Wilder) Hunter McCulloch, 75, of Old Lyme, died peacefully at home Tuesday, March 20, 2018.

Arnette is survived by her beloved husband, David McCulloch; children, Laura (Hoffman) Ely and her husband, Richard, Cindy (Hoffman) Golder and her husband, Tom and Jennifer (Hoffman) Blue Coat and her husband, Ira; as well as four stepchildren, Matthew McCulloch, Kate DeLosSantis, Paul McCulloch and Rob McCulloch; eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her half-sister, Sara Ballowe of Virginia Beach, Va.

Arnette was preceded in death by her late husband, John R. Hunter.

Arnette was born on March 14, 1943, in Greenville, S.C., to John S. Wilder Jr. and Lola Arnette Wilder. She spent her teenage years summering on Skaneateles Lake in New York. She graduated from Fairfax Hall in Waynesboro, Va. She attended Syracuse University and received an associate’s degree in psychology at Mohegan College.

Arnette had a zest for life, loved meeting new people, was energetic and always ready for an adventure. She was an avid sailor, enjoyed the beach and traveling. She had an amazing voice, loved singing and sang in the Westerly Chorus for years.

Arnette moved to Mystic in 1968. In the 1970s she was involved at the Mystic Seaport where she taught sailing lessons and worked on the Sabino. During that time, she got her captain’s license and was the first woman to skipper the Sabino. She was also director of membership. She later worked at E.F. Watermelon in Old Lyme and Summer Music in Waterford. She moved from Mason’s Island to Old Lyme in the early 1990s, where she was very active with the Congregational Church, Tribal Crafts and the church’s Lakota Reservation partnership in South Dakota. She was also very interested in herbalism and completed the Rosemary Gladstar Herbal Program at Sage Mountain in Vermont.

She will be remembered fondly by many.

A memorial service is planned for 11 a.m. June 6, 2018, at the First Congregation Church of Old Lyme, Old Lyme.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to St. Joseph’s Indian School, P.O. Box 300, Chamberlain, SD 57325-9919, stjo.org/culture.

The Dinoto Funeral Home, 17 Pearl St., Mystic, is assisting the family.