Candace B. Brooke Leary

Candace was born in Middletown, CT on November 26, 1947, daughter of the late Leslie and Arline (Crowell) Brooke. She was raised in Ivoryton, CT, and graduated from Valley Regional High School in Deep River, CT, with the class of 1965. She worked in marketing department for The Gillette Company in Boston for ten years and, during that time, earned her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration from Suffolk University.

Mrs. Leary resided in Quincy, then Hingham for ten years before settling in Norwood more than twenty years ago. She owned and operated the former Farioli's Market with her husband, John, for nearly fifteen years. She subsequently worked as a paralegal for the law offices of Quinlan & Sadowski in Norwood for five years then Fedele & Murray in Norwood for six years. More recently, Mrs. Leary worked as Assistant to the Executive Director at the Exploration School in Norwood.

Mrs. Leary was an active Norwood town meeting member for fifteen years and was also a long-time columnist for the The Daily News Transcript. She was known for her popular musings in the newspaper's "Midpoints" column. Mrs. Leary was a member of the Parents Music Association of Norwood High School while her children attended. Candace was a creative woman who enjoyed poetry and loved to sing anything from jazz to musicals.

She is survived by her two children, Brooke Leary and her husband Michael Morita, of Seattle, WA, Christopher Leary of Manchester, CT; three sisters, Arline Cardoso of Middletown, CT, Pamela Stevens of Old Saybrook, CT, Robin Austin of Westbrook, CT; one brother, Michael Brooke of Westbrook, CT; many nieces, nephews, cousins and her furry companions, Harley and Rebecca.

She was predeceased by her husband of twenty-nine years, John J. Leary, in 2003; and by her brother, Leslie Brooke.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, September 28, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. at the Gillooly Funeral Home, 126 Walpole Street, Norwood. Burial will be private.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday, September 27, 2012 from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions be made in her memory to the Exploration School, Inc.Scholarship Fund or to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.