Marie J. (McAuliffe) Vasquez

Marie Josephine (McAuliffe) Vasquez, 71, of Rocky Hill, passed away peacefully at her home on April 11, 2022 surrounded by her family after a courageous battle with cancer. Marie was born on July 15, 1950 to Josephine (D’Ambrosio) and William McAuliffe of Wethersfield. Marie attended Wethersfield High School and graduated in 1968. While attending high school, Marie met the love of her life, Joe. Marie and Joe wed on November 13, 1971, going on to have two beautiful daughters, Cara and Marissa. After high school, Marie attended Hartford Secretarial School, where she earned her secretarial degree. She went on to work at The Hartford, Cromwell Energy and lastly, Rocky Hill Board of Education. Marie concluded her career as the Administrative Assistant to the Director of Special Education for the Rocky Hill Board of Education, where she worked for 16 years. She truly had a passion for helping children with special needs and their families. Marie retired from Rocky Hill Public Schools in October 2015. In her retirement, Marie enjoyed traveling to Aruba with her husband Joe, shopping with her daughters, attending her grandson's sporting events, exercising at her strength training class, and spending time laughing with her family and close friends. Marie was also an active committee member and participant in the Hartford Lung Force Walk, which raised awareness and funds to defeat lung cancer. Marie will always be remembered for the unwavering support she extended to others, her kind and generous heart, and her strength and fortitude.

Marie is survived by her loving husband of 50 years, Joseph Vasquez; daughters, Cara Faucher and Marissa Vasquez; grandson, Cole Faucher; sisters-in-law, Debra Vasquez, Sharon Maycock and Lynn Vasquez, and brothers-in- law, David Maycock, James Vasquez and Tom Filon, as well as many special nieces and nephews. Marie was predeceased by her parents, Josephine and William McAuliffe; her sister, Joan Filon; her brother, William McAuliffe; her sister-in-law, Celeste Mann and her nephew, Benjamin Maycock.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday, April 22 at 10:30 a.m. at SS. Isidore & Maria Parish at St. Paul’s Church, 2577 Main Street, Glastonbury. Everyone is asked to please go directly to the church. Burial will follow in the State Veterans’ Cemetery, Middletown. Family and friends may call on Thursday from 4-7 p.m. at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Boulevard, Wethersfield. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Hartford LUNG FORCE Walk (Ma’s Marvelous Mob’s Team), C/O American Lung Association, 45 Ash Street, East Hartford, CT 06108 or Yale Smilow Cancer Hospital, Office of Development, P.O. Box 1849, New Haven, CT 06508-9979. To share a memory of Marie with her family, please visit www.desopofuneralchapel.com.