Captain Donna L. (Sawtelle) Lis

Captain Donna L. (Sawtelle) Lis, 61, of East Hartford, retired CT Army National Guard, loving and devoted wife of Stanley P. Lis for 33 years, died peacefully, Saturday, March 25, 2017 at Hartford Hospital. She was born August 18, 1955 in Woonsocket, Rhode Island and was the daughter of the late Thomas D. Sawtelle and Dorothy Eva (Pouliot) Duteau. Donna was a graduate of East Catholic High School, Class of 1973. She was a U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War from 1972 to 1977. She served proudly in the CT Army National Guard from 1979 to 1998, attaining the rank of Captain. She was given numerous military ribbons and awards and was an instructor at the CT Army National Guard Military Academy. She also was a Volunteer Field Representative for WIMSA (Women in the Military Service for America), and fund raising for the YMCA and YWCA. Donna worked at Vertex Incorporated, Wethersfield where she was a Consultant as well as a Systems Support Specialist and Assistant Network Administrator with United Technologies Corporation Flight Department and Senior Desk Top Engineer. She also worked for Colt’s Manufacturing Company, Inc. from 1988-1995 as Inside Sales Specialist, Projects Coordinator, Supervisor Customer Service, and worked in the famous Custom Gun Shop. She also worked for Pratt & Whitney from 1979 to 1992, where she met her husband. Besides her husband Stanley, she is survived by her brothers, David Sawtelle and wife Judith and Timothy Sawtelle and his wife Noelle; nieces and nephews, Alex, Austin, Alli, Josh, Amanda, Alex, Michael, and grandnephew, Thaddeus. She also leaves behind her mother-in-law, Jane Lis; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Dr. Mary Lis and David Greenbacker, Susan Lis-Ratti, Joseph and Barbara Lis and Joanne Lis. Besides her parents, she was predeceased by her sister, Deborah A. Catlin and her father-in-law, Stanley J. Lis. She will be dearly missed by her family and many friends.

Calling hours will be Monday (April 3) from 10 a.m.-12 noon at the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, 277 Folly Brook Blvd., Wethersfield concluding with a Prayer Service at 12 noon. The burial will follow in Silver Lane Cemetery, Veterans’ Section, East Hartford. Donations in Donna’s memory may be made to the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 758517, Topeka, KS 66675. To share a memory of Donna with her family, please visit www.desopo.com.