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Muffy Watson Lewis

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After a short but courageous fight with brain cancer, Martha Watson Lewis passed away at her home in Delray Beach on May 20, 2023, with close family by her side. She was known to all by her childhood name, Muffy, which perfectly fit her relaxed, fun, friendly personality. Although she never wanted to be the center of attention, she was inevitably surrounded by her family and her many, many friends from Chicago to New Canaan, Nantucket, and Florida. She filled her home and life with laughter and joy and people wanted to be a part of her world. Born in Highland Park, Illinois in 1956, Muffy quickly proved herself to be a smart and determined child, who knew how to persevere through any challenge, such as figuring out how to stay home from school by offering to clean the family household or give her mom a back massage.

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Irwin Mandel, 83

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Irwin Mandel, 83, of Stamford, CT died peacefully on June 12, 2023 surrounded by the immense love of his family. 

Irwin was born in Greenpoint, Brooklyn on December 23rd, 1939 where his parents owned a neighborhood staple Poultry Market. Some of his most formative childhood memories took place there serving his local community alongside his parents, Regina and Benjamin Mandel. He was the youngest of his four beloved sisters: Beatrice, Dorothy, Roslyn, and Edith. Sadly, he lost his father as a teenager and took on the role of providing for his family. He continued to do the same throughout the remainder of his life, ensuring that his family was always happy, healthy, and well-cared for.

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Maryann Henry von Dwingelo, 91

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Maryann Henry von Dwingelo, age 91, a 47-year resident of New Canaan, CT passed away at home on June 4, 2023. She was born on January 3, 1932, in Mount Vernon, NY, the daughter of Harrison and Evelyn Henry formerly of Darien, CT and Boynton Beach, FL.  Maryann graduated from Darien High School, Colby Sawyer College, and Katherine Gibbs School. She worked at Reader’s Digest in Paris, France and in the Civil Engineering Department at the University of Connecticut.   Her interest in the Real Estate world began when she became Assistant to George Haynes who was prominent in the New Canaan real estate market for many years. She then moved on to the TomBrock Corporation in Stamford.

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John C. Renda, 76

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John C. Renda, 76, of New Canaan, CT passed away on June 3, 2023 at his home. 

Born in New York, New York, John is Survived by his loving wife of 29 years, Patty, his daughter, Jessica and his son, John.  Predeceased by his parents, Phyllis & Domenic Renda, and his brother Charles (Sally) Renda and sister Josephine (Louis) Marchesi.  Also survived by his mother in law, Marilyn Bissell,  brothers in law, Richard (Hazel) Bissell, John (Marlene) Bissell and Timothy (Lisa) Bissell, his sisters in law Susan (Jeffery) Kuntz and Nancy Bissell,  many nieces, nephews, grand nieces and grand nephews as well as a large extended family of cousins.  Like another brother to him, he is also survived by his very long time friend, Howard (Bette Feldman) Anger. 

John was a Vietnam Veteran, awarded the Bronze Star, a proud graduate of Baruch College, and for many years a corporate financial manager and then self employed.  In recent years he was retired, but liked to say his “job” was watching the stock market, a long time passion.  He loved to travel, and was working on seeing every baseball stadium in the country, falling short by 5 or 10, depending on who was counting. (He remained a Mets fan all his life, and a lover of hot dogs.)  His love for his wife had no bounds, most recently starting to make plans for when her retirement would happen, and their future travels.  But his greatest pride and joy were undoubtedly his two children, Jessica and John. His advice to them, courtesy of Yoda, was always (and sometimes paraphrased) “Do or do not, there is no try.”  He will be so dearly missed. The Renda family will receive friends on June 8, 2023 from 4-8pm at Hoyt Funeral Home, 199 Main St., New Canaan.  A Mass of Christian Burial to celebrate John’s life will be held at St. Aloysius Church in New Canaan on Friday, June 9, 2023 at 9am.  Interment will follow at Lakeview Cemetery, New Canaan.  

To watch the Mass live please visit: https://boxcast.tv/view/memorial-mass-for-john-charles-renda-rqfrlo3dwl86xclw4off

[This obituary appeared on the Hoyt Funeral Home website.]

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Heidi Steinberg D’Acosta, 68

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Heidi Steinberg D’Acosta, age 68, passed away on May 26, 2023 in Bridgeport, Connecticut at St. Vincent’s Hospital from Covid and a compromised immune system. Heidi was born in Bronx, NY to Bernie and Ethel (Regan) Steinberg, grew to adulthood alongside four life-long friends who also became teachers: childhood with Janet Donnelly in Riverdale, The High School for Performing Arts in Manhattan with Donna Rowe Moss graduating in 1971, Lehman College with Liz Fishman where she earned a B. A. in English in 1975, and with Ted Taylor at SUNY Stony Brook where she earned a M. A. in English in 1976. Additional course work during her subsequent career included The Connecticut Writing Project in 1985 and numerous courses at Fairfield, Sacred Heart, and Southern Connecticut State universities. Hired shortly after earning her M. A. by New Canaan Public Schools, she taught English and directed annual theater productions at Saxe Middle School before transferring to the high school where she served as Chair of the English Department upon her friend and mentor Mary Smith’s retirement in 2007.