Marie L. Balsara

1921 - 2014

Marie L. Balsara obituary, 1921-2014, Glastonbury, CT

BORN

1921

DIED

2014

FUNERAL HOME

Mulryan Funeral Home - Glastonbury

725 Hebron Avenue

Glastonbury, Connecticut

Marie Balsara Obituary



Marie L. Balsara, 92, of Manchester formerly of Glastonbury, died Monday February 17, 2014 at home. Born in New York City on April 3, 1921 to Louise (Darre) and Bhicaji Framji Balsara. Maries' father, from Mumbai, was one of the very first citizens of India to become a U.S. citizen. He was a cotton buyer. Maries' mother Louise was a first generation American born to a Swiss-German mother and French father, John Darre, he owned a French bakery in New York City during the late 1890's and early 1900's. Marie attended school in Leonia, NJ and attended the New Jersey College for Women (now Douglass College) where she graduated in 1943. Upon graduation, she was employed by the Aetna Life and Casualty Insurance Company in New York City and in 1975 transferred to the Hartford Office where she eventually retired after 41 years. Marie was an enthusiastic gardener and maintained beautiful gardens at her home in Glastonbury for the thirty years she lived there. It was very hard for her to leave them and move, but in 2010 she moved to the Arbors in Manchester, CT where she resided until her death. While at the Arbors, she made new friends, including her primary caregiver Miriam Salifu. Miriam and Marie spent many enjoyable hours together shopping, dining and time at Barnes & Noble, Marie's favorite place. In addition to gardening, Marie loved music and her church. Marie and her sister Barbara grew up singing in the Presbyterian Church in Leonia, NJ. She also taught Sunday school and was a Deacon at the church in Leonia. In Glastonbury, she belonged to the First Church of Christ, Congregational where she was active in many church groups, including the Prayer Shawl Ministry. In 2009, she decided that access to the church was most important for persons with disabilities and donated the funds to construct a beautiful access area to facilitate entry into the church. Marie had many friends from the church and her career whom she stayed in contact with through the years until her death. She would travel to visit family until just a couple of years ago when her health prevented her from such excursions. Her love of music was evident by her love of Mozart and trips to New York City to attend performances at the Metropolitan Opera, along with support of the Connecticut Opera and Hartford Symphony. Marie is survived by her niece Frances Ann Ade and her husband Gerhard and grandnephew Nicholas Ade of Seattle, her nephew Alexander Montague Main, III of Columbus, Ohio and grandniece Victoria Elizabeth Main and great grandniece Amelia Bretz of San Francisco. Her brother-in-law Alexander Montague Main, Jr. of Columbus, Ohio. Marie was preceded in death by her sister Barbara Balsara Main formerly of Columbus, Ohio. A celebration of her life will be held on Thursday, February 27 at 11am in the First Church of Christ, Congregational, 2183 Main St., Glastonbury with a reception to follow in Schultz Hall at the church. A graveside service will be held on Friday February 28 at 11:30am in the Hackensack Cemetery in Hackensack, NJ. In lieu of flowers memorial Contributions may be made to the First Church of Christ, Congregational, 2183 Main St., Glastonbury, CT. 06033. For online condolences please visit www.mulryanfh.com.

Published by Hartford Courant on Feb. 21, 2014.
34465541-95D0-45B0-BEEB-B9E0361A315A

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Memories and Condolences
for Marie Balsara

Sponsored by the family.

Not sure what to say?





3 Entries

Our entire family has fond membories of our backyard neighbors in Glastonbury--Marie, her mom, and her aunt. They shared in all the special events in our family and we met her family on their visits to CT. Even though we moved to SC 14 years ago, we kept in touch--visits with her, Alec, and Barbara in Bluffton; her visit to Raleigh to be with our family at a special party; her attendance at our daughters' southern weddings; our visits back to Glastonbury. She was an honorary member of the Borkowski family. We will miss her.

Alec--we only heard recently that you lost Barbara in 2013. The sisters will now be reunited in heaven. Our prayers to you all.
Love, Rick and Carol
[email protected]

Carol and Rick Borkowski

March 9, 2014

Marie was a very special lady. I met her on my first day of work at Aetna in New York City 1973. She taught me all the special Underwriting tips and she enjoyed every day at the Aetna. It was a very special place to work and even when they moved the operation to Hartford the experience in National Accounts Department was one to remember. It was an environment to grow and develop. Marie was a very kind and patient lady and she had the respect of all the agents and staff. She spent many holidays with my family telling stories of life in Leonia NJ. It was an honor to know her and she did have a wonderful life.

Barbara Natarajan

February 22, 2014

To Marie's family,
We were neighbors of Marie on Worthington Road until 1987 when we moved to a condo in town. We attended her Mother's 100th Birthday - how proud Marie was of her Mother. We chatted frequently while she was tending her gardens. We had not seen her recently, but did run into her occasionally at the grocery store. You are in our prayers. Rest in peace, Marie.

Janet Franklin Enid Redfern

February 21, 2014

Showing 1 - 3 of 3 results

Make a Donation
in Marie Balsara's name

Memorial Events
for Marie Balsara

Feb

27

Celebration of Life

11:00 a.m.

First Church of Christ, Congregational

2183 Main St., Glastonbury, CT

Feb

28

Graveside service

11:30 a.m.

Hackensack Cemetery

Hackensack, NJ

Funeral services provided by:

Mulryan Funeral Home - Glastonbury

725 Hebron Avenue, Glastonbury, CT 06033

How to support Marie's loved ones
Commemorate a cherished Veteran with a special tribute of Taps at the National WWI Memorial in Washington, D.C.

The nightly ceremony in Washington, D.C. will be dedicated in honor of your loved one on the day of your choosing.

Read more
Attending a Funeral: What to Know

You have funeral questions, we have answers.

Read more
Should I Send Sympathy Flowers?

What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative?

Read more
What Should I Write in a Sympathy Card?

We'll help you find the right words to comfort your family member or loved one during this difficult time.

Read more
Resources to help you cope with loss
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Estate Settlement Guide

If you’re in charge of handling the affairs for a recently deceased loved one, this guide offers a helpful checklist.

Read more
Obituaries, grief & privacy: Legacy’s news editor on NPR podcast

Legacy's Linnea Crowther discusses how families talk about causes of death in the obituaries they write.

Read more
The Five Stages of Grief

They're not a map to follow, but simply a description of what people commonly feel.

Read more
Ways to honor Marie Balsara's life and legacy
How to Write an Obituary

Need help writing an obituary? Here's a step-by-step guide...

Read more
Obituary Templates

These free blank templates make writing an obituary faster and easier.

Read more
Obituary Examples

You may find these well-written obituary examples helpful as you write about your own family.

Read more
How Do I Write a Eulogy?

Some basic help and starters when you have to write a tribute to someone you love.

Read more