Leslie Parker

With her family at her side, Leslie Andrea Parker of New Britain, CT passed away on May 31, 2018 at age 69.

Leslie and her beloved husband Paul Lavery shared a passion for camping adventures in New Brunswick, Canada and throughout New England. She adored her Bichon pup, Margie, who never let Leslie out of sight. They enjoyed daily walks in Stanley Quarter Park and could always be found watching over the neighborhood from their front porch.

Leslie was born in New Britain and grew up in the Barnesdale Neighborhood. After graduating in 1966 from New Britain High School, she attended Tunxis Community College for Visual Fine Arts in Farmington, CT. She was a lifelong feminist and LGBT advocate, and a talented artist who felt a strong connection to nature.

At an early age, Leslie was curious, imaginative, expressive, physically active, generous, inclusive, artistic, independent in thought and manner, had a keen intellect, and sharp sense of humor—all strong characteristics she possessed into adulthood. Leslie was a self-trained horticulturist and observer of wildlife, especially of birds. She was a devoted champion for “the underdog” and in 1975, she and her friends Maggie Greene and Claudia Sherill organized a historic strike against the American Red Cross.

Leslie had an artistic flare that shone through in many ways. When her children were young, she drew intricate playful scenes on the brown paper bags in which she packed their lunch. Leslie loved collecting found objects on nature excursions in the woods and had a knack for discovering obscure antiques and handcrafted home goods. She was always busy with art and garden projects, and became an accomplished artist. Leslie produced and sold impressive works in pen and ink, assemblage, box construction, sculpture from found objects, collage, and papercutting. She was a faithful lifelong patron of the New Britain Museum who shared her love of art by frequently bringing her family and friends to experience their exhibits.

Leslie was a skilled and prolific cook and baker who enjoyed reading cookbooks as if they were novels to absorb the recipes and experiment with her own variations. If she loved you she gifted you breads, cakes, meatloaf, Galumpkis, soups and stews, Spanakopita, and pasta salads. She was the master of throwing a picnic like no other.

Leslie was hard working and proficient in her professional career. She started off working in sales at Connecticut Light & Power and as a lab technician at the American Red Cross. Later she served as a director of a boutique clothing company, worked for the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and became the lead floral designer/buyer at Comstock Ferre & Company. Most recently, she owned two businesses: The Accumulator Antiques and Collectables and The Box Lady.

So many of us had the good fortune of being influenced, great and small, by Leslie during her 69 years of life. Leslie leaves behind her devoted husband of 25 years, Paul Lavery; children, Jake Koski (Kathryn Armstrong) and granddaughter, Lia Armstrong Koski of New Haven, CT; Jude Koski (Sanjai Moses) of San Francisco, CA; stepson Eric Lavery (Kimberly (Lund) Lavery) and grandson, John Lavery of Wethersfield, CT; siblings Dawn (Parker) Gallo, Keith Parker, and Claudia Parker; in laws Robert and Sheila Lavery of Windsor Locks, CT, John and Geneva Lavery of Oregon, and Thomas Lavery and Kelly Gorman of West Hartford, CT; three nieces, three nephews, and countless friends she considered family. The second oldest daughter of Dolores (Bertrand) Parker and the late Godfrey Parker, Leslie was predeceased by son, Brian Parker and granddaughter, Eliza Jude Koski.

Leslie’s ashes will be spread in the Bay of Fundy, Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, August 11, 2018, please contact the family for further details. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in Leslie A. Parker’s name to Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, Inc. 345 Whitney Ave., New Haven, CT 06511 or visit www.ppsne.org/donate and check “contribution in memory of someone”. Donations will go to the New Britain Clinic of Planned Parenthood.