Mary Gallagher Verselli

WALLINGFORD - Mary Gallagher Verselli, 51, of Wallingford, died Tuesday, Oct. 16, 2012. She was the beloved wife of Mark Verselli.

Mary was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., daughter of Nancy Lersch Gallagher, of Wallingford, and the late John T. Gallagher. She was an active parishioner of Most Holy Trinity Church in Wallingford, acting as a lector and past President of the School Board. She graduated at the top of her class at Sheehan High School, and is an inductee in its Hall of Fame. Mary received her bachelor's degree from the University of Hartford and continued her education at Northeastern University, earning an MBA with highest distinction. She worked at Masonic Home and Hospital, and was chosen as the first administrator of Ashlar Village, where she oversaw the development and construction of one of the first retirement communities in Connecticut. She began her own business consultancy, Senior Markets Network, helping many other senior housing developments to prosper within the state. Mary's passion for learning and commitment to purpose led her to offer her skill and talent to other organizations, including The National Theatre of the Deaf and The Governor's Prevention Partnership. In 2005, Mary joined Choate Rosemary Hall, in the senior leadership position as Director of Strategic Marketing and Communications, where for the last seven years she worked tirelessly and effectively to improve how the school communicated within its own ranks and with the external community. She represented Choate as a member of the Quinnipiac Chamber of Commerce, where she was President-elect for the coming year. Mary was known to all for her kindness, generosity and genuine concern for others. It was a pleasure for her to help her fellow man in all that she did, from the time she was a young teenager volunteering as a candy striper at Masonic, to a young adult advocating for the elderly, and most recently serving as liaison with the SCOW community of Wallingford. To serve others was her goal and mission in life, and she consistently did it with grace and great conviction. Mary will always be remembered for her positive approach, can do attitude and a smile to light up the world!

In addition to her husband and mother, she is survived by her two cherished sons, Michael and Matthew; as well as her sister, Karen Giangrande and husband, David, of Andover, Mass.; sisters-in-law, Joyce Chessher and husband, Steve, of Cleveland, Ga., Laura Verselli. of Cleveland, Ga., and Ione Hernandez and husband, Jose, of Meriden. Mary was the proud aunt of Emily and Chris Weigand, Rachel and James Hunt, and Kristina, Liza, Peter and Jason Giangrande.

Her family will receive relatives and friends in The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 North Main St., Extension, Wallingford, Thursday, Oct. 18, from 4 until 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Friday at 11 a.m. from the Wallingford Funeral Home when the funeral cortege will proceed to Most Holy Trinity Church where a Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 12 p.m. Interment will be in Saints Peter and Paul Cemetery in Wallingford. In lieu of flowers, gifts in Mary's memory may be sent to Holy Trinity School, 11 North Whittlesey Avenue, Wallingford, CT 06492, or the Palladino Family Cancer Center, c/o MidState Medical Center, 435 Lewis Avenue, Meriden, CT 06451.

www.wallingfordfh.com