May Brittain

Brittain, May
May Sandoz McDonnell Brittain of Greenwich, Connecticut died of pulmonary fibrosis on Sept. 9, 2012 at home. She was 79 years old and is survived by her children, Candace McDonnell Hanau, Peter H. McDonnell and Isabelle McDonnell Catino, as well as 5 grandchildren and 2 step-grandchildren. Born May Sandoz in Le Locleet La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland, she graduated from the BuserInstitut, Teufen, Switzerland. In 1951, she married the late Kenneth McDonnell, who had a career in publishing, advertising and real estate. Widowed in 1992, in 1996 she married Alfred Brittain III, retired Chairman and Chief Executive of the Bankers Trust Company. He predeceased her in 2011. She was a Greenwich resident since 1958. From 1971-1996 she worked at The Nutmegger Magazine, and later, Greenwich Magazine, rising to the position of Associate Publisher for Advertising. She was a longtime member ofGreen Fingers Garden Club and was renowned as their auctioneer. She also belonged to The Round Hill Club, where she enjoyed golf as a member of the "Niners". Her many friends and family will miss her outgoing personality, wicked wit and gracious elegance. A funeral service is scheduled for Saturday, September 29, at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 200 Riverside Avenue, Riverside, CT at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation, 1-888-733-6741 or pulmonaryfibrosis.org