Nancy Jane Hecker Steinegger, 89

Nancy Jane Hecker Steinegger, 89 years old, a resident of Stamford and formerly both Darien and Greenwich, passed away on Friday, Sept 16, 2022, with her loving family and family of caregivers by her side. 

Nancy was born April 19, 1933, in Stamford to the late Mable and William Hecker. She graduated from Stamford High School in 1951, and immediately began her 67-year marriage with her high school sweetheart, John Steinegger. By the age of 22, Nancy quickly learned how to keep herself, her husband, and their three children happy and thriving. Volunteering as a Cub Scout den mother, PTA president, homeroom mother, and church lay teacher were critically important roles that made Nancy the best mother she could possibly be. As her children grew older, Nancy worked as an administrative assistant to the Treasurer at Rosemary Hall in Greenwich, assistant to the vice principal at New Canaan High School, and assistant to the Superintendent of the New Canaan Board of Education.

Katheryn Lynn Babbitt, 94

Longtime Marion, MA resident Katheryn Lynn Babbitt, 94, passed away at Waveny Care Center on October 4, 2022 in New Canaan, Connecticut. 

She was born in Princeton, West Virginia on April 27, 1928 to Francis Norton Davidson and Eva Gallaher Davidson.  Following Mr. Davidson’s work-related accidental death when Katy was but eight months old, her mother subsequently married Colonel John Clementson Key, a professor of mathematics and engineering at The Citadel, and the family lived in Charleston. Katy graduated from Meminger Girls’ High School and the College of Charleston, where she was a History major and President of her Chi Omega sorority chapter. Shortly after graduation she and Edwin (Ted) V. Babbitt were married, and they soon moved to Marion, MA where her husband joined the Babbitt Steam Specialty family business in New Bedford. During her years living in Marion, along with her husband Katy was a communicant of St. Gabriel’s Church and during the 1950s was a founding member of the Marion Art Center’s theater group called The Hornblowers.  She actively participated as a member of The Sippican Tennis Club, The Kittansett Club, the Country Club of Charleston, and The Beverly Yacht Club.

Ann Granath, 89

Ann Granath of New Canaan, CT passed away peacefully on October  7th, 2022 in Stamford, CT.  She was 89 years old.  She was predeceased in 2019 by her adoring husband of 61 years, media executive Herb Granath. Maryanne Elizabeth Ott was born in Jamaica, New York to Frank and Anna Ott on November 12, 1932.  Her family relocated to Brightwaters, NY where she graduated from Bay Shore High School.  Upon graduation, she declined an art scholarship in order to pursue her passion for acting and moved to NYC. Much to her delight, she began work immediately and chose the stage name “Ann Flood,” Flood being her own mother’s maiden name. Ann’s career spanned four decades.  Her Broadway debut in the musical Kismet in 1954 was followed by playing opposite Don Ameche in Holiday for Lovers.  She was best known for her work on daytime dramas, beginning in 1958 on From These Roots and including The Edge of Night, Search for Tomorrow, Another World and All My Children.  She enjoyed having the opportunity to play the villainess and the vixen, but her heart belonged to The Edge of Night where she was best known for playing heroine reporter and central character Nancy Karr from 1962-1984.  At the show’s conclusion, she was the longest-serving cast member and had been nominated for two Daytime Emmy Awards in the category of Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series. Her early career also included summer stock, industrials for Ford, Oldsmobile and Frigidaire, and commercials for everything from Life Magazine and Ivory Snow to Sterling Beer and Newport Cigarettes, among others.  She also appeared in well over a dozen other shows, including Ed Sullivan, Steve Allen, Kraft Theatre, Annapolis, Armstrong Circle Theatre and Matinee Theatre.  Later in her career she appeared on The Cosby Show as a woman of a certain age who, along with her husband, was shocked to find out that they were expecting a baby.  She also appeared in the sleeper favorite movie Mystic Pizza as Polly Windsor, mother of Julia Roberts’ character’s wealthy boyfriend.

Beverly W. Fairty, 84

Beverly W. Fairty (Lee), age 84, died peacefully Tuesday, September 27, 2022 in Norwalk, CT following a brave journey with Alzheimer’s. 
Born in Norwalk, CT on May 31, 1938. She was the daughter of the late Irving and Edith Wood. Lee grew up and lived in New Canaan, CT for most of her life prior to moving to Greenwich, CT and then Williamsburg, VA. Lee owned S. B. Hoyt Flower and Nursery Shop in New Canaan for many years. Upon moving to Williamsburg she continued her flower business.

Patricia (Tricia) Hartner, 60

Patricia (Tricia) Hartner 60, passed away peacefully on September 28, 2022 surrounded by her loving family. She was born on September 1, 1962 in Manhattan, N.Y. to John F. and Kathleen (Eagan) Ring.  Tricia was the beloved wife to John F. Hartner of New Canaan, CT and West Palm Beach, Florida. 

Tricia graduated from New Canaan High School in 1980, where she was captain of the varsity woman’s lacrosse team.   She attended Villanova University where she and John met.   While at Villanova, she was a founding sister of the Kappa Kappa Gamma sorority chapter.   After graduating, she worked in advertising in New York (Grey, JWT and Ogilvy).