Mary Wibberley
— Mary Thayer Colchester Wibberley, 101, of Colchester, and formerly of Stonington, passed away peacefully Monday, Jan. 9, 2023, at her home in Colchester. Born March 2, 1921, in Middletown, a daughter of the late Julian and Anna (Strickland) Thayer.
Raised on the family farm on Miller Road in Middlefield, Mary enjoyed a happy and carefree life, but not without responsibilities. At the age of 10, she was routinely driving a team of two workhorses (Ben and Brownie) to pull the disc harrow; and with sister Polly, riding them to the blacksmith to be shod. Mary witnessed a span of technological changes in American life. In the 1930s, she experienced the Rural Electric brought in under FDR, which illuminated the Thayer household and farm and made indoor plumbing possible. Later advances allowed Mary to enjoy a computer for communications and banking, and her dear Kindle for her avid reading habit.
Mary was a 1939 graduate of Woodrow Wilson High School in Middletown, and went on to UConn as a home economics major, leaving after two years once upperclassman Randy Wibberley proposed. They were married July 12, 1941. Randy brought her to Manatuck Farm in Stonington, where he worked as farm manager for the then owners of American Velvet Company. The young couple happily raised a family of four children on the 250-acre farm.
Mary was a school lunch volunteer, active in PTA and a 4-H leader and camp counselor. She also volunteered for 25 years at Westerly Hospital. In later years, Randy and
Mary traveled extensively and enjoyed art and music locally. In the early 90s, the couple moved to Colchester Commons where they were active in the community and made many new friends. Throughout Mary’s life, she enjoyed creating—vegetable gardening with Randy every year—then canning and freezing, braiding rugs, hand and machine knitting and cooking. A fashionable, proud, and smart woman, Mary enjoyed selecting fabrics and sewing her wardrobe, managing her finances and doing crossword puzzles.
Mary was predeceased by her beloved husband of 67 years, M. Randolph “Randy” Wibberley; her sons, Jared Thayer Wibberley and Jeffrey Randolph Wibberley. She was also predeceased by her sisters, Polly Felici and Priscilla Jones; and brother Barnard Thayer. She is survived by her daughters, Ann W. Rhinelander and husband David of Gloucester, Mass., and Molly W. Greenzaid and husband Judah of Bethesda, Md.; and granddaughter
Sarah W. Rhinelander-Castiglioni and husband Diego of La Pedrera, Uruguay; plus four great-grandchildren: Graciella, Itanu, Oliki and Uma. In addition, she is survived by her sister-in-law Marian Thayer of Coventry; and sister Julianna Lunetta of Danbury. Over the years, Mary also enjoyed the company of younger generations of Rhinelanders and Greenzaids. Additional survivors include many dear nieces and nephews and a loving group of friends, especially those of Colchester Commons.
Special thanks to all who took such great care of Mary in her final days. A private memorial gathering will be held in the future. Care of private arrangements have been entrusted to the Aurora-McCarthy Funeral Home of Colchester. For online condolences, please visit: www.auroramccarthyfuneralhome.com.