Elizabeth M Bolton

Elizabeth Mead Bolton, 91, of Haddam, CT, wife of the late Arthur L. Bolton, passed away peacefully on Monday, January 4, 2016 at Middlesex Hospital, Middletown, CT. She was born in Beijing (Peking), China on March 31, 1924, to missionary parents, Lawrence M. Mead and Eleanor (Machado) Mead. Elizabeth, also known by her childhood nickname “Ba”, attended North China American School with her four siblings. Her father worked at the YMCA, and was on staff at the Yenching University English Department. War came to China in 1937, and two years later the Meads returned to the United States. They traveled by boat from Hong Kong and Singapore to Calcutta, across India by train, on to Marseilles, France, making stops to visit family in Switzerland and England. These life experiences gifted Elizabeth with a well-grounded view of the world. Life in America was no less engaging, attending public school in Princeton, NJ, studying at Northfield School, MA, and for two years at Radcliffe College.A nursing degree at Boston’s Children’s Hospital School of Nursing in 1947, and a Bachelor’s degree in Education from the University of Minnesota, completed the training for her life’s work.

In 1956, she married Arthur Bolton, a technical writer for Grumman Aerospace Corporation. They made their home in Huntington NY, balancing family and careers and enjoying weekends sailing. One of Elizabeth’s great passions was knitting. Over the years, her busy hands delivered an untold number of afghan blankets, scarves, hats, doll clothes, and Christmas stockings to children, grandchildren and friends. A lasting treasure is her knitting book, which details the plans for each of her “Granny Corner Originals”.

Elizabeth’s life-long dream was to run a nursery school. Thus, in 1970, a property was purchased and the family relocated to Clinton, CT. A year later she opened the doors of the Red Barn Children’s Center, as its founder and first director. In following years, a preschool/elementary summer program was added. Through her devoted work, Elizabeth touched generations of youths in the Shoreline area, and that legacy lives on to this day.

Elizabeth is survived by her three sons, Jay D. Bolton and his wife Josephine of Old Lyme, William B. Bolton and his wife Mary Lee of Hamden, and David S. Bolton and his wife Carolyn of Haddam, and nine grandchildren. She was predeceased by a son Laurence L. Bolton.

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm. Saturday, January 16, at the First Congregational Church of Madison, 26 Meetinghouse Lane, Madison. Interment will be private. Friends may call at the Swan Funeral Home, 80 East Main St., Clinton on Thursday evening, January 14, from 5-8 pm. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Elizabeth’s memory to the Red Barn Children's Center's”45th Year Playground Fund”, 125 Kelseytown Road, Clinton, CT 06413.

The family extends their heartfelt appreciation to the staff members of Middlesex Health Care Center in Middletown for the support and loving care they gave Elizabeth over the past nine years.