Shirley A. (Sawczysyn) Parlante

Shirley A. (Sawczysyn) Parlante passed away suddenly at home on September 21, 2020.  Shirley was born and raised in New Britain, CT and graduated New Britain High School Class of 1959.  She received her LPN nursing degree from the Hartford Hospital School of Nursing and celebrated a rewarding career of over five decades at Hartford Hospital where she met her husband Fred. He was walking on a steel beam as a cement concrete worker on the Bliss Wing Project.  Shirley would wave at him through the windows and enjoyed daily lunches with him in the cafeteria. They wed a few years later.  She spent many shifts caring for newborns and their families in the Bliss Building on Bliss 6 (the baby floor).  Shirley really bonded with all people at work, our family and in the community.  She liked to read, travel, go skiing and boating. Vacationing in Maine, visiting the mountains and oceans across many states is what she enjoyed.  If it wasn’t on a cruise line she enjoyed weekends with her husband and family members on their 32’ Sea Ray that docked at the Between the Bridges Marina in Old Saybrook, CT.  She loved to swim and one fond memory is when she swam with the dolphins in Florida.  She was an avid fan of the UCONN Huskies woman’s basketball team, following the girls’ stats and careers.  Shirley came out to support everyone, rooting you on in sports, cheering for you at a school play, dancing recital or musical performance.  It was important to her to share celebrations and recognize achievements.  She cared about people and kept connected, always saying “Give me buzz when you can”.

Besides her loving husband Frederick Parlante and their dog Max of New Britain, CT, Shirley is survived by her brother-in-laws Michael Parlante and his wife Patricia of E. Hartford, CT, and Mark Parlante and his partner Barbara Allegrante of FL; her sister-in-laws Delores Perene of FL, Cathy Parlante of Hartford, CT, Deborah Parlante of FL, and Maureen Rossi of FL; her step-son Thomas Parlante and his son Jacob of E. Hartford, CT and step-daughter Briget Miller and her sons Frank and Michael of NY. 

Shirley is predeceased by her mother Katherine Sawczysyn; her in-laws Anneo and Olga Parlante; her brother-in-laws Teddy Perene, Peter Hyde and Robert Parlante; her sister-in-laws Patricia Hyde and Annamaria Parlante; and her beloved dogs Duke, Rusty and Sandi. 

She is loved by all of her family, living and deceased: grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, brother and sister in-laws, step-children, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, goddaughter and generations of cousins, all who think she was really someone special.

A memorial service will be held on Tuesday, October 6, 2020 from 9am to 11am at Luddy-Peterson Funeral Home, 205 S. Main St., New Britain. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Cemetery, 580 Elm St., Rocky Hill. Social distancing will be observed and face coverings will be required.

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