Estelle V. Wilson

1921 - 2015

Estelle Vivian (Jensen) Wilson, 94, died on Thursday, October 29, 2015 at the Seabury Nursing Home in Bloomfield. She was born in Hartford on September 12, 1921 to Kenneth Almont Torrant and Irene Dziak. Estelle was adopted and raised by her uncle and aunt, Frank and Josephine (Dziak) Jensen. Estelle lived first in Bloomfield and then moved to Windsor at a young age. She was a 1939 graduate of John Fitch High School in Windsor and was a resident of Windsor for over 75 years. On May 9, 1945, she married Harold Edward "Bud" Wilson Jr. at St. Gertrude Church in Windsor. They were together 48 years until his passing in 1993. Frank and Josephine had six more children that were born after Estelle joined their family so she grew up with brothers and sisters. She was predeceased by her parents; sisters, Mary Frances Jensen, Gloria Ferranti, Patricia Champigny and a brother, Frank Lawrence Jensen. She is survived by three sons: Keith (Marjorie Hayes) of Storrs; Mark (Amanda Herd) of Westfield, MA and Craig (Stephanie Bannister Hemond) of Cumming, GA; 10 grandchildren: Eric and Lisa Wilson of Storrs; Monique Parker, Clearwater, FL; Jeremy Wilson, Port Richey, FL; Ryan Wilson, Manchester; Brienna Wilson, Largo, FL; Erica Medley, Canton, GA; Leah Wilson, Canton, GA; Brad Wilson, Nashville, TN; Brian Wilson, Youngsville, NC; 9 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. Two sisters also survive her: Antoinette Petersen, New Lenox, IL and Elizabeth "Betty" Clark, Virginia Beach, VA.; in addition she leaves many nieces, nephews, cousins and a special friend, her cousin Joan Karpowich. Until she left the workforce in 1950 to have children, Estelle worked for the Travelers Insurance Company. In the 1960's she worked in the office of the Airport Taxi Company; in 1968, she became a state employee and was the Secretary for the Prosecutors in the State of Connecticut Circuit Court 13 until her retirement in 1984. Estelle was never happier than when she had a house full of people; the gatherings would include everyone from the youngest to the oldest family members with plenty of friends invited. Her caring heart would remember individuals who would be alone on special holidays and invite them to her home. Estelle's family has many happy memories of the Christmases, Easter dinners and summer picnics on Giddings Avenue with great food and card games; later in the evening, Mom would be playing the piano in the living room surrounded by people, playing old favorites or Christmas carols in the holiday season. In her later years, she volunteered many hours playing the piano at Windsor nursing homes for the residents. Estelle loved the beach from a young age and passed that on to her sons and grandchildren. Many enjoyable summer days were spent on Misquamicut Beach in RI, with children and grandchildren, swimming and playing cribbage. Estelle and Bud loved to travel and often spent a month in Florida during the winter with friends and family members, playing golf and going to the beach. She was a fierce competitor in ping pong, bowling, bridge, setback and cribbage. If you won a game against her, you knew that you earned it - she didn't "let you win". Estelle was a caregiver for many family members over the years, the social director, a loving wife, mother and grandmother. Always stylish, feisty and funny, she truly had a life well lived. The family of Estelle Wilson thank all of the staff at Seabury for the great care she received for many years. Everyone there, no matter what their job was, always had a smile and a conversation for Mom. Her family will receive friends on Wednesday, November 4, 2015 at the Carmon Windsor Funeral Home, 807 Bloomfield Avenue, Windsor from 5 - 8 PM. A Funeral Service will be held at the Carmon Windsor Funeral Home on Thursday November 5, 2015 at 10 AM followed by a burial at the Windsor Veterans Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Seabury Charitable Foundation http://www.seaburylife.org/giving or to the Alzheimer's Association. For online condolences please visit www.carmonfuneralhome.com.