Winifred Sarah Frances Suraci

Winifred S Suraci of Clinton, Ct passed away on Thursday, April 24, 2025 at the age of 83. She was born on June 6, 1941 in New Haven, CT. Winnie grew up in West Haven, CT with her parents and five siblings.

She graduated from West Haven HS near the top of her class in 1959, however family tragedy kept her from going to college.

Winnie took great pride in her work as an accountant for the Department of Psychiatry of Yale University, where she worked for close to 40 years. After her early work helping patients with their insurance claims and in the negotiations of collections with insurance companies, she eventually rose to the position of head accountant for the department.

Winnie would say, however, that her greatest accomplishment at Yale was being instrumental in helping form the Clerical and Technical Employees' Union, Local 34 in 1985. That achievement was, and is to this day, central to improving the lives of many Yale University employees.

As an active member of Clinton’s Arbor Garden Club and the garden volunteers of the Clinton Historical Society, Winnie expressed her love of nature and gardening.

Her love of the outdoors also found expression as an avid lifelong walker and a serious hiker for over 25 years. She was a longtime member of the New Haven Hiking Club and the Westport Hiking Group. With her husband by her side, she hiked all the major peaks of New England and did significant hiking and backpacking in the Southwest USA, England, Scotland, Italy, and France.

She loved her family, especially the young ones as each succeeding generation came along. With skills honed by her role as “second mom”, she was always there with love and guidance.

She is preceded in death by her father, Bruno Suraci; her mother, Nellie (Brouker) Suraci; and her brothers, Jonathan Suraci and Bruno F. Suraci, Sr.

Winnie is survived by her husband of 36 years, David Bautz; her daughters, Sarah Loughlin and Christine (Loughlin) Finkle and her husband, Jeff Finkle; stepchildren Shawn (Bautz) Merk and Michael Bautz and his wife, Ann Marie Bautz; grandchildren, Priscilla Disciglio, Dann Disciglio, Zachary Disciglio, Amelia Bautz, and Andrew Bautz; great grandchildren, Joao Domingos and Josh Domingos; sister, Elizabeth Suraci and brothers, Dominic Suraci and Timothy Suraci and sister-in-law, Toni Suraci.

The family would like to thank Artis Senior Living and its loving caregivers for the care and compassion they showed Winnie in the past year and in her final days.

A gathering for the celebration of Winnie’s life will be held at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in Winnie’s honor to Layman’s Home Missionary at Bible Standard Ministries, 1156 St. Mathew’s Road, Chester Springs, PA 19425. Web: biblestandard.com