Marie Kosciuk

MERIDEN - Marie Naples Kosciuk, 91, a lifelong resident of Meriden, died on Saturday, Sept. 15, at The Highlands Healthcare Center, Cheshire, from Alzheimer's dementia.

Born Jan. 6, 1921, in Meriden , Marie was the third of seven children. She was predeceased by her Italian immigrant parents, Theresa Spanpanado and Dominic Napolitano; and by her siblings, Rose Riccitelli, Nick Naples, Jane Scarfo, Fannie Hrybinyk, Francis Gentile, and Anthony Naples. A 1940 graduate of Meriden High School and 1943 graduate of the Meriden Hospital School of Nursing, Marie was the Labor and Delivery supervisor at Meriden Hospital from 1943 to 46. She then went on to Boston Lying-In Hospital (1947 to 51) and Middlesex Memorial Hospital (1951 to 58) as both obstetrics supervisor and clinical instructor. Marie worked as a nurse in Drs. Sawicki and Brody's obstetrics practice from 1959 to 1968. She then worked for the Meriden Health Dept as a school nurse, retiring in 1988 after 11 years at John Barry School. Marie grew up and was very actively involved in the Italian Baptist Church afterwards renamed Grace Baptist Church which her parents helped found. She later attended First Baptist Church of Meriden. Marie and Edward Kosciuk eloped in 1957 and were married for 54 years until Edward's death in April 2012.

Marie is survived by her children and their families, John and Jeanne Kosciuk (Andrew, Kevin,) of Cheshire, Teresa and William Rowe (Stephen, Misha,) of Annandale, Va., and Steve and Amy Kosciuk (Jessica, Jason,) of Cheshire; as well as many nieces and nephews.

A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 22, at the Beecher & Bennett-Flatow Funeral Home, 48 Cook Ave., Meriden. Burial will follow at Walnut Grove Cemetery, Meriden. Relatives and friends may call at the funeral home on Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m., prior to the service. In lieu of flowers, gifts may be made to a nursing scholarship set up to assist Southern Connecticut State University nursing students who are first or second generation in America. Contributions made to The SCSU Foundation with The Edward and Marie Kosciuk Nursing Scholarship in the memo may be sent to The SCSU Foundation, 501 Crescent St., New Haven, CT 06515 or made online at www.giving.southernct.edu