Marie Fox

Marie Montano Fox, 72, of Newington, eldest of the six children of the late Mary Lucille (Cardello) and Albert Joseph Montano of Newington, succumbed to a severe case of pneumonia on December 27, 2022 at home, surrounded by her loving family. Marie was born in Hartford on June 23, 1950 and spent her formative years growing up in the West End neighborhood of Hartford. She received her high school diploma from Hartford Public High School in June 1968.

Having to care for her siblings at a young age, Marie realized that child care was her destiny. So, after graduation, Marie attended, and received her certificate as a Licensed Practical Nurse from the Saint Francis Hospital School of Nursing, and began a career in the Pediatrics Department of Saint Francis Hospital of Hartford.

In 1969, in order to take advantage of the clean air and superior school system, the Montano family moved to Newington and Marie moved with them. All was well, and then one day in December of 1971, while visiting her best friend from Hartford, who was living in New London, Marie met “the love of her life”. Six months later, she and Michael J. Fox were married at the First Church of Christ in Newington Center. It was a marriage filled with love, dedication, and all the trials and tribulations of taking three children through dancing lessons, cheerleading, helping Michael coach the two boys in Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball, all the while cutting short her career as a Pediatric Nurse, but continuing to satisfy her need to care for people by working at Bel Air Manor, and as a visiting Nurse.

In the early 1980’s Marie and Michael got involved in Democratic Party politics, and in 1990 she was appointed to fill a vacancy as Newington’s Democratic Registrar of Voters. It was as the Registrar that she cemented her legacy. She had a dedication to her voters like no other Registrar could even imagine. Because of her knowledge, expertise, compassion for her job and her dedication to the Constitutional right of every American citizen to cast their vote for whomever they wish, she was re-nominated every four years, each time receiving more votes than any other candidate on the Newington ballot, including the Governor, serving a total of 32 years until her death.

Besides her parents, Marie was predeceased by her brothers, Joseph Montano of West Hartford and Robert Montano of Northampton, MA, and her sister, Janet Percival and her husband Russell of Plainville. Besides her husband Michael, Marie leaves to revel in her memories, her daughter, Marissa Fox Lenzi and her husband Paul of Newington; grandchildren Joseph and Aly (Sklenarik) Fox of Plainville, Brittney Lenzi of Wethersfield, Emma and Mikaya Lenzi of Newington; her son, Matthew Albert Fox and his wife Jennifer (Copes), grandchildren Kayley and Brooklyn, all of Newington; and (the baby) her son Marc, who lives with and took care of his parents; her brother, Michael Montano and his wife Laurie (Landolina) of Newington; nieces, Meagan and Michelle of New York City; her brother, John and wife Toni (Tracano) of Newington; her brother-in-law, Dr. Jeffrey Fox and his wife Beatrice (Nissenson) of Schenectady, NY and their children and grandchildren; and a sister-in-law, Dorothy Rademaker of Florida. She also leaves some very special cousins, Claudia Montano, Rosemarie and Harry Tamiso, Janice and Syl Ciraulo, and Joseph Cappello.

The family wishes to thank the medical and administrative staff at the ICU and Intermediate Units of UConn Health, and the staff at Accent Care Hospice Services for their compassionate care.

There will be no funeral, Marie had wished that her remains be donated to the UConn School of Medicine Anatomical Donation Program but her illness made her ineligible. Instead, her remains will be cremated and laid to rest at the Montano family plot at Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield.

The family will host a Celebration of Marie’s life from 12 to 3 p.m. on Saturday (December 31st) in the Kalasky room of the Newington Volunteer Fire Department, Company Number One, 1485 Main Street, Newington. In lieu of flowers, please show your love for Marie by contributing whatever you think proper to the Newington Volunteer Ambulance Corps or the Newington Volunteer Fire Department, Company Number One.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the D’Esopo Funeral Chapel, Wethersfield.

To leave a message for the family, please visit www.desopofuneralchapel.com