Irene Caulfield

1937 - 2025

Irene Caulfield
January 7, 2025
WATERTOWN-It is with great sadness that the family of Irene Caulfield, age 87, of Watertown, announce her passing on Tuesday, January 7, 2025.
Irene was born May 9, 1937, in Waterbury, Connecticut, daughter of the late Anna and John Krukauskas. She was raised in the Hopeville neighborhood of Waterbury, graduated from Wilby High School and earned her Registered Nurse (RN) license from Waterbury Hospital.
After receiving her RN license, Irene lived and worked in Washington, D.C. for 3 years before returning to Connecticut to live in Watertown for the rest of her life. Irene worked nearly 20 years as an RN at Waterbury Hospital followed by over 32 years as an RN at The Taft School's Infirmary in Watertown. Irene maintained a close relationship with her coworkers from Waterbury Hospital and Taft and considered them her dearest friends.
Irene raised her daughter and two sons in Watertown. She was known for her great cooking, especially Italian American cuisine, and for keeping her home spotless and organized. Irene made sure no opportunity for her children was missed, encouraging them in sports, music, and education. She loved getting together with her dear friends from Waterbury Hospital Nursing School, Taft School Infirmary, and her condo complex. Many was the time they spent hours laughing and eating dinner at Tramonti Ristorante or enjoying a dinner she made for everyone at her home.
Irene was an enthusiastic sports fan, rooting for her Dallas Cowboys, as well as every college sports team from the schools her grandchildren attended. She was an avid reader of spy thriller novels and watcher of British TV shows such as Call the Midwife and Poirot. She loved to travel and made several trips to Europe to see historic castles.
Most of all, she was a loving mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister and aunt to her family. She was the family matriarch and the sun around which all her family revolved. She built her home down the street from her sister Barbara and brother-in-law Victor and loved her two nieces Ann Marie and Cheryl as her own.
Irene is survived by her daughter Jamie Marvel and her husband Dave of Missouri, her son James Caulfield and his wife Maria of Massachusetts, and her son Jeff and his wife Amy Clary of Oregon; her sister Barbara Mingrone of Watertown; her grandchildren Matthew Marvel and his wife Leah Rutschilling, Katie Marvel-McGowan and her husband Patrick, Jack Marvel, Antionette Caulfield, and Nathan Caulfield; her great-granddaughters Finley and Kennedy Irene Marvel-McGowan; several grand-nieces and nephews, and her grandcat Andie. She was predeceased by her brother-in-law Victor Mingrone.
A funeral mass will be held on Friday, May 16, 2025, 10 a.m. at St. John the Evangelist Church, 574 Main St. Watertown, followed by burial in Calvary Cemetery in Waterbury. Those who wish to attend are asked to meet directly at church Friday morning. There are no calling hours.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Irene's name to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital 501 St. Jude’s Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or St. Vincent DePaul Mission of Waterbury, Inc., P.O. Box 1612, Waterbury, CT 06721.
For additional information or to leave an online message of condolence, please visit http://www.hickcoxfuneralhome.com.