Constance Ann (Olson) Dayton
Constance Ann (Olson) Dayton, 92, died peacefully at home while doing her daily crossword puzzle the morning of April 15, 2021. Connie and her husband of 64 years, Charles Bliss Dayton (1922-2017) were longtime residents of OceanView in Falmouth.
Born February 5, 1929 to Howard and Theresa (Harvey) Olson, Connie grew up on Swede Hill in Naugatuck, CT. She graduated from Naugatuck HS, class of 1944, and from the NJ College for Women in 1950 (now Douglass College of Rutgers University). Connie taught art in Cromwell, CT, from 1950-1953. She married Charles in 1953 and they lived in North Haven, CT for 47 years raising four children there. Connie was active in the community as a Girl Scout leader, co-leader of the 4-H horse club, the Junior League of New Haven, the Spring Glen Garden Club,~the Episcopal Church Women and vestry of St. John’s, Ridge Road School PTA, the Red Cross as bloodmobile coordinator, and the VNA of New Haven.~ She also served as chair of the North Haven library board and Second Selectman of the town from 1981-1989.
Connie’s deep sense of community continued into her 90’s. She was an active member of the Episcopal Church of St. Mary in Falmouth. And she actively participated in the activities and trips at OceanView where she had many friends.
An only child, Connie was content to sit and read. But she was never more content than when she could fill her home with people, whether by helping those in need or throwing a party. She loved traveling with Charlie and the Friendship Force of CT, making friends wherever she went. In addition to entertaining international guests through the Friendship Force, she and Charlie hosted refugees from Cambodia, a student who wanted to finish HS in the U.S. when his~family returned to Korea, and neighbors who’d had a fire in their house.
A person of great creativity, energy, generosity, and talents, she could catch and clean a fish, fix a leaky faucet, and complete crossword puzzles in pen. As a young mother with four young children, she sewed many of the clothes they wore.~ At meetings she was seldom without her knitting needles. Known for her homemade blueberry pie, anadama bread and fish chowder, she baked and decorated wedding cakes for her children, grandchildren, and family friends. As recently as January, she was still baking loaves of Swedish cardamom bread to give to friends.~
Connie was admired by her family, friends, and many grandchildren for her self-confidence, thoughtfulness, generosity, and knowledge of world affairs.~ She believed in good government, conservation, social justice, and was a champion of women’s reproductive rights.
She is survived by her four children: Nancy and her husband Stephen Houston of Cranston, RI, Howard Bliss Dayton and his wife Mary Keegan of Bradford, NH, Sarah Bouchard and her partner Mike Larock of Weare, NH and Mary and her husband Tim Follo of Falmouth, ME; nine grandchildren: Anders Houston of Portland, OR; Hannah Houston and her husband Lev Lewyckyj of Medford, MA; Maggie Dayton Golden and her husband Jeff Golden of Spencer, NY; Paddy Dayton and his fiancée Alyssa Riley of Intervale, NH; Owen Dayton of Richmond, VT; Jessica Bouchard and her husband Richard Beckett of Falkirk, Scotland; Charlie Bouchard and his fiancé Leya Bryant of Milford, ME; Emily Follo and her husband Ryan Lena of Reading, PA; and Timothy Follo of Somerville, MA; four great-grandchildren: Eve Golden, Rose Golden, Ezra Lewyckyj, Isla Beckett, plus one more who
Connie had hoped to see born in July. She also leaves many nieces, nephews, cousins and her children by affection, Debby Hall and her husband Mike Woods of West Lebanon, NH and Cindy (Hall) and her husband Ron Stein of Decatur, GA and their children.
A memorial service will be held later this year. Donations~in her memory can be made to Heifer.org, SafePassage.org or the OceanView residents assistance fund.
Online condolences may be expressed below.
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