Mary E. Wakefield (Gabron)

Mary E. (Gabron) Wakefield, 85, of East Hartford, loving wife of 55 years to the late Leon Martin Wakefield, died peacefully on Tuesday evening (February 1, 2011) at the Hebrew Home & Hospital in West Hartford. Born in Newburgh, NY on February 14, 1925, a daughter of the late Vincent and Emilia (Wierszylo) Gabron, she had been a resident of East Hartford for the past 57 years. Mary was a graduate of Newburgh Free Academy and then went to work for Southern New England Telephone Company. She was the first female Page at the Connecticut State Capitol and that is where she met her future husband, Leon, who worked for the Associated Press. They were married in Newburgh on Easter Sunday, 1950. Mary was a long-time faithful communicant of St. Christopher Church, East Hartford and enjoyed her involvement with the ""mothers circle"" while her children attended St. Christopher School. However she truly enjoyed being a loving, proud, and devoted grandmother to her three grandchildren. Besides her beloved husband, Leon, and her parents, Mary was predeceased by a sister, Frances Morris and a brother, Edward Gabron. Mary leaves behind one daughter, Mary Lee Wakefield and her husband, Thomas McCue, of West Hartford; two sons, Gary Wakefield of East Hartford, David Wakefield and his wife, Mary Jean, of Hebron; a brother, Michael Gabron and his wife, Sophie, of Las Vegas, NV; four sisters, Helen Krantz of San Antonio, TX, Lucia Cusa and her husband, Paul, of Highland, NY, Wanda Johnson of Broomfield, CO, and Valerie Gabron of Jersey City, NJ. She also leaves behind her three special grandchildren, Patrick and Lea Wakefield of Hebron, and Conor McCue of West Hartford. Mary will always be remembered as a wonderful and loving grandma. She is also survived by many nieces and nephews throughout the country, with a special thanks to the Cusa family and their children for their love and support. Funeral services will be Friday (February 4th) with a Mass of Christian Burial celebrated at 10 a.m. at St. Christopher Church, East Hartford. (Everyone is asked to please go directly to the church on Friday morning). Burial will follow at Silver Lane Cemetery, East Hartford. There are no calling hours. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Christopher School, 570 Brewer Street, East Hartford, CT 06118. Mary's family would like to extend their sincere gratitude and appreciation to the entire staff and caregivers on the 3rd Floor-South Wing of the Hebrew Home & Hospital along with the staff at Masonic Hospice Care for their professionalism, care, loving support, and compassion given to Mary and her entire family. The D'Esopo-East Hartford Memorial Chapel, 30 Carter Street, East Hartford has been entrusted with the care of the arrangements. For on-line expressions of sympathy to the family please visit www.desopo.com.