Jessie Mayer

Essex - Jessie (Hull) Mayer, 98, passed away Wednesday evening, July 1, 2009, at Essex Meadows Healthcare Center in Essex.

She was born in New Haven, July 28, 1910, the daughter of William H. and Anna (Goetz) Hull. During her childhood she spent time on her family's farms in North Haven and Shepherds Point in Branford. She graduated from Mrs. Day's School in 1927 and Yale University School of Fine Arts in 1932, where she was a student of Eugene Savage.

While attending Yale she met Henrik M. Mayer, and they were married at Shepherds Point July 2, 1932. They lived in New York City and then transferred to Indianapolis where Mrs. Mayer became the assistant to the curator of the Indianapolis Art Museum, and Mr. Mayer became the assistant director of the John Herron Art School. While in Indiana, Mrs. Mayer painted four murals for the WPA Federal Arts Project. During the summer months the Mayers traveled east and stayed in Branford and Monhegan Island, Maine.

Following World War II, they settled in Essex. Mr. Mayer became dean of Hartford Art School at the Wadsworth Athenaeum and then at the University of Hartford. He predeceased her in 1972.

Mrs. Mayer painted primarily marine and landscapes and botanicals. Her works have been exhibited in galleries in New York, Essex, Old Lyme, Mystic, and throughout Connecticut and Maine. She served several terms as president of the Essex Art Association and was a member of the Connecticut Watercolor Society and the American Society of Marine Artists.

She is survived by her daughter, Julie H. Mayer-Tschanz and her husband, Erwin A. Tschanz, of Rochester, N.Y., and a granddaughter, Catherine Tschanz.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28, in Hamilton Hall located at Essex Meadows, 30 Bokum Road, Essex.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Henrik M. Mayer Scholarship Fund, c/o University of Hartford Art School, 200 Bloomfield Ave., West Hartford CT 06117, or the Connecticut River Museum, 67 Main St., Essex CT 06426.

Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, Centerbrook is in care of the arrangements.