Anne P. Streeter

Former Mayor of West Hartford, Anne P. (Nan) Streeter, age 96, passed away on Monday, May 22, 2023 in Southington, CT. She was a 54 year resident of West Hartford and throughout her adult life always considered the town her home.

Nan was born on July 21, 1926, the daughter of Henry N. Paul and Marianne Frazer Harris Paul in Philadelphia, PA. She was preceded in death by her husband Ronald M. Streeter (1917 - 2003) and her brother Henry Neill Paul. She is survived by her brother Marshall Paul (Miriam), Newtown, PA, and her five children: Jean Streeter, Prospect Heights, IL; Deborah Streeter, (Tom Owens), Ithaca, NY; Stephen Streeter, (Sally Dwyer) Dundas, Ontario Canada, Richard Streeter (Tia), Buxton, ME and Jonathan Streeter, Alameda CA. She was blessed with seven grandchildren: Daniel Lane (Erin Moore), Santa Barbara, CA; Katie Lane Jacobson (Chris), Ithaca, NY; Tristan Owens, (Katie RoseSchaefer), San Francisco, CA; Michael Wnek (Sara), Chicago, IL; Aubrie Frazier (Michael), Washington, D.C.; Sam Streeter, Arvada, CO and Elizabeth Streeter, Salt Lake City, UT as well as six great-grandchildren.

Many summers were spent with family at her summer home in Mantoloking, NJ where she shared with family her love of sailing on the Barnegat Bay, swimming in the Atlantic Ocean, and was always up for playing games, the latest water sport, reading to grandchildren, or marching in the Fourth of July parade. Nan was also an avid UConn women's basketball fan, and managed to convert the staff and the wing of her home at LiveWell in Southington into Huskies fans.

Nan attended Springside School in Chestnut Hill, PA and graduated in 1948 from Smith College with a BA in history and government. She returned to teach history at Springside, and had her first introduction to West Hartford when she taught English at Oxford School. She married Ronald Streeter in 1949 and moved away from West Hartford with her growing family several times during his career, eventually returning for good in 1967. She became an activist in the League of Women Voters (LWV) everywhere she lived, serving as President of chapters in San Mateo, CA and West Hartford.

First elected to the West Hartford Town Council in 1973, Nan was quickly recognized for her hard work, deep knowledge of the local issues and collaborative solutions. Starting in 1975, she served as Mayor for six years. During her tenure she served the community through a wide range of initiatives, including rezoning neighborhoods to preserve their residential character, and establishing a risk management fund for the town. She advocated for developing West Hartford's first multi-purpose community center, upgrades to the town Police and court facilities and to build an innovative Construction Workshop for persons with disabilities. She was most proud of her collaborative efforts as Founding President of the town's cable TV station (WHC-TV) in 1979, which migrated from the town's Library basement to the Town Hall, which today is a nationally recognized, award winning media center.

Nan was elected to the state Senate in 1982 and re-elected in 1984, representing the 5th Senatorial district which included Avon, Burlington, Farmington and West Hartford, where she was the ranking member on the Finance committee. From 1985 - 1987 she was the Deputy Majority Leader of the Senate, where she became an expert on state fiscal matters and advocated for measures to increase state aid to the elderly through rent and property tax relief.

Nan's life was one of giving back to her community. She was a vice president of the Science Museum in West Hartford and a trustee of the Hartford College for Women. She also served as a board member of the Noah Webster Foundation and incorporator of the American School for the Deaf, Institute for Living and Hartford Hospital. She received numerous awards for her civic involvement, including the Capitol Region Council of Governments Regional Leadership award and greater Hartford Jaycees Woman of the Year award both in 1981, and Distinguished Service award from WHC-TV in 1992. She was named a lifetime member by the National League of Women Voters.

After retirement from politics, Nan finally had more time to combine her love of family and history. In 2012 she published Joseph S. Harris and the U.S. Northwest Boundary Survey, 1857-1861. Based on her research from Harris's personal letters as well as Yale University archival records, the book tells the story of the 6500 mile perilous journey of her great-grandfather, who was commissioned by the U.S. government to survey the boundary between British Canada and the U.S.(the 49th Parallel). She also authored other shorter historical essays about family members and their civic accomplishments, dating back to the Revolutionary War.

Throughout her life in West Hartford she was an active member of First Church of Christ, Congregational, serving as deacon, on numerous boards and committees, and helped raise $1.6 million for an elevator in the building.

A memorial service celebration of her life will be held on Saturday, July 8, 10:00 a.m. at First Church of Christ, Congregational, West Hartford, 12 South Main Street, West Hartford. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in her memory to: West Hartford Interactive Public TV, First Church of Christ Congregational, West Hartford, or Planned Parenthood of America.