Roberta Lathrop Woods, a resident of Southington, known to all as "Bobby", died in her sleep on Saturday, September 9, 2006 at Hartford Hospital's Palliative Care Unit in the company of family and a caring staff. Bobby was born September 13, 1923 in her family's home in New Britain. She was the only child of Walter A. and Florence Blinn Lathrop. As a child she spent summers with her grandparents, Herman and Maria Lathrop in Brooklyn, CT, where she and her father ran the balloon and dart game at the Brooklyn Fair each year.
A top scholar, Bobby excelled in mathematics. She was a member of the graduating class of 1941 of New Britain High School. She went on to complete secretarial courses at the Moody Secretarial School in preparation for her work at The Russell and Irwin Company. It was during these times that she established many life-long friendships. She traveled cross-country by car with several of these friends, a memory of which she was very proud.
She was married to Lawrence E. Woods in 1950 in New Britain, where they made their home with Bobby's parents and Uncle Howard Blinn. In the mid 1960s, Bobby and Larry started a family and raised two sons, Myles Lathrop Woods and Christopher Martin Woods. Throughout their married life Bobby and Larry enjoyed vacationing on Cape Cod.
She was an excellent cook and baker and held regular dinner parties for friends. In later years when Larry was elected to the Southington Library Board, they held an annual Christmas gathering for the library board members. Her cookies and brownies were a hallmark. For 50 years Christmas Eve was a special time for Bobby and Larry as they lovingly celebrated with their entire family in their home.
Bobby was a loving and devoted child to her parents and took care of both of her parents as they passed from this life. Soon after her father's passing, the family moved to Southington where they built a home together.
Her dedication to family continued as Bobby raised her sons. She would prepare special food for Larry and her boys on the days of Notre Dame football games. Her special pot roast and raw onion sandwiches were made to be taken to the Yale football games where they would have tailgate parties. She even felt compelled to buy a special pair of boots for walking the hills to the football games at West Point.
Bobby was an avid reader. She loved mystery novels and kept current on news events by reading at least two newspapers each day. She loved her time with Larry at the Southington Public Library where she fulfilled her passion for reading.
Bobby was an extremely devout Irish Catholic. She prayed many novenas and rosaries throughout her life. In her later years when she was unable to attend mass regularly, she received the Eucharist with joy from her friend Benny Cammuso, a eucharistic minister from her parish, Mary Our Queen.
Bobby was predeceased by her husband Lawrence E. Woods in 1993. She is survived by her sons Myles Lathrop Woods of Southington and Christopher Martin Woods, her daughter-in-law Mary Lou Woods and her grandchildren Elizabeth and Lawrence Woods of Berlin; her sister-in-law Marceline Cormier of Kensington; a brother and sister-in-law Donald and Irene Woods of West Hartford. She also leaves three nieces, Marcelyn Clarke of Kensington, Diane Binder of Medfield, Massachusetts and Mary Ellen Woods of Williamsburg, Massachusetts; and a nephew David Woods of West Hartford, as well as several great nieces and nephews. Bobby was a very kind and selfless woman whose concern was constantly for others. She carried this virtue to the end. She will be sorely missed by those who knew and loved her.
Her Funeral will be held on Saturday, Sept. 16, 2006 at 9:15 a.m. from the DellaVecchia Funeral Home, 211 N. Main St. to Mary Our Queen Church at 10 a.m. for a Mass of Christian Burial. Burial will be at St. Mary's Cemetery in New Britain. Calling hours will be on Friday from 5-8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made in her memory to the Hartford Hospital Palliative Care Fund, 80 Seymour St. Hartford, CT 06102 or Mary Our Queen Church, 248 Savage St. Plantsville, CT 06479.
Visitation
Date
Time
Friday, September 15, 2006
5-8 p.m.
Visitation Location
DellaVecchia Funeral Home
211 N. Main St.
Southington, CT 06489
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