Naruk ANER

ANER, Naruk Aner Louise (Peck) Naruk, 80, of Coulter St., Old Saybrook, wife of the late Judge Henry J. Naruk, died Sunday (March 14, 2010) at Yale-New Haven Hospital, after a brief illness. She was born in Middletown, the daughter of the late Harry and Aner (Fagan) Peck, and great-great granddaughter of the late Jesse S. Peck, veteran of Captain Spalding's Company of the Revolutionary War. Among her many accomplishments, she was one of Connecticut's first licensed lobster women, an accomplished water color painter, avid gardener, self-taught French, Chinese and Vietnamese chef, a driver of fast cars, and devoted animal-lover, wife and mother. She had a life-long gift for making any house she occupied a welcoming home, ever open to family, friends and strays of both the two- and four-legged variety. Her early career was devoted to supporting the late Judge Naruk through Harvard Law School, helping him start his career as successful litigator, public prosecutor, highly-regarded Superior Court judge, and then his careers with Travelers Insurance and as an independent arbitrator. While living in Torrington between the 1950s and 1970s, she dedicated herself to raising her 3 children, purple iris, and becoming a Julia Childs protégé. One of her delights was being mistaken as Judge Naruk's daughter when stopped in her red Mustang Convertible by the State Police. Subsequently, returning to Middletown, she directed herself to helping her children's successful careers, hosting numerous Wesleyan, Amherst and Yale College events at the family homestead ("Tell me when we get down to about 20 and I'll serve dinner.") During much of her life she maintained not only her family but various cats, dogs, a cottage on Money Island in the Thimbles, a sailboat, several leaky dinghies, a Blue Jay, a Sailfish, a Boston Whaler, several cranky outboard motors, and, for a brief period, two chickens. Residing in Old Saybrook for the past 25 years, she raised rabbits, several generations of finches, and two loving grandchildren. She was predeceased by her sister Sally Peck, her brother Harry Dowd Peck, and her devoted companion John Sexton. She is proudly survived by her daughter, Susan E. Naruk of Warwick, NY; her two sons, Dr. Stephen J. Naruk of Houston, TX, and Woody Holliman of Durham, North Carolina; their spouses, Edward Hemphill, Regina Capuano and Nancy Kimberly; and her two devoted grandchildren, John Capuano Naruk and Deva Kimberly Holliman. A memorial service and internment in Indian Hill Cemetery, Middletown, will be held at a later date. Those who wish may send memorial contributions to The American Diabetes Association, PO Box 11454, Alexandria, VA 22312. Biega Funeral Home has care of the arrangements.