Edward W. Maher

.Edward W. Maher, age 83, of Sarasota, Florida, formerly of Manchester and Old Saybrook, passed away on February 28, 2011. Edward was born in New Haven on December 21, 1927 to the late Edward and Evelyn Fitzgerald Maher.

Besides his parents, Edward was predeceased by his wife Marie Therese (Kane) Maher and his son Gary Maher.

Edward is survived by son Brian Maher, his wife Dianne and their son Kyle of Granby ; son Jeffrey Maher, his daughter Kelly Maher and her fiancé Ron Donley and their son Griffin Donley of Westbrook, and his son Jeffrey E. Maher and his girlfriend Nici Castonguay of Providence; and daughter- in- law Francesca Edwardson and her sons Jack Maher and Brendan Maher of Winnetka, Ill. He will also be missed by his cherished friend, Carol McKay, of Sarasota.

Edward graduated from UConn, where he played on the football team and was in the Air Force ROTC, and received his Masters Degree in Public Administration from the Maxwell School of Syracuse University. He was called to active duty in the Air Force, and served as a lieutenant, stationed in Nagoya, Japan. He worked for the state of Connecticut for twenty-five years. He was an Analyst and Director of the Budget for the State of Connecticut from 1956-1964. He served as a Vice-President of UConn from 1966-1970, where he was the Director of Administration for the UConn Health Center. He was employed by the state of New York as First Deputy Commissioner , and later Commissioner, of Social Services from 1970-1975 under Governor Nelson Rockefeller. He returned to Connecticut to become Commissioner of Welfare from 1975-1982, serving Governors Ella Grasso and William O’Neill. He was the Director of the Hill Health Center, in New Haven, from 1982-1987.

Ed was an avid golfer, enjoying many rounds of golf at courses in Connecticut and Florida. He was a lifelong fan of all UConn sports. He traveled the country watching the men’s basketball team play, and was thrilled to be present when they won their two national championships.

The family would like to thank all of the medical people who helped Edward, especially Dr Lazin and the Sarasota Kidney Center, and the UConn Dialysis Center in Farmington.

A funeral service will take place on Saturday, March 12, 11:00a.m. at the Swan Funeral Home, 1224 Boston Post Rd Old Saybrook. Friends may call on the morning of the funeral from 10:00a.m. until the time of the service. Burial will follow at Riverside Cemetery, Old Saybrook.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Edward Maher to the Maher Family Scholarship at the University of Connecticut. The scholarship supports a player each year from the Men’s Soccer Team. Donations are payable to The UConn Foundation Inc., 2390 Alumni Dr., unit 3206, Storrs, CT 06269. In memory of Edward Maher should be written on the memo line of personal checks.

Messages of condolence may be made online at www.swanfuneralhomeoldsaybrook.com.