Obituary of Marie H. Venora

Marie Helen (Brooks) Venora A very special Angel has left this earth today, May 6, 2020, to live with God in Heaven. Even though she’s in a better place and reunited with loved ones, those of us left behind are heartbroken. Marie had the soul of an angel and the heart of a lion. She was a beautiful person, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and dear friend. She will be dearly missed by everyone who had the pleasure of knowing and loving her. Especially her devoted family. Born on March 31, 1931 in Hartford, CT., she was the daughter of the late Mary Dudley Hyatt Brooks and Clayton Byron Brooks. She met the love of her life, the late Robert P. Venora, Sr. at Hartford High School from where they both graduated in 1949. They were married in 1950, for 47 years and had 6 children. Marie was a happy stay-at home mom raising her family in Hartford and then in East Hartford, CT. She always said that her children were her greatest riches in life. Marie worked as a secretary and a supervisor at Travelers Insurance Company and as a real estate agent for Barrows Real Estate. She also worked along with her husband running their dry cleaning business, Hilltop Cleaners in Hartford, CT until they both retired in 1996. Marie loved to travel. She traveled to many wonderful destinations with her daughter Deborah and her husband Bill. She loved the beach most of all. Walking along the shoreline and swimming in the ocean, with the gracefulness of Esther Williams. She was the epitome of beauty, goodness, class and grace and always so full of life. She loved to laugh and dance. She had a comical side to her personality, which garnered her the nickname of “Lucy”, from her kids as in Lucille Ball,. She was a great cook and baker, famous for her sauce and meatballs, stuffing and chocolate cookies. Marie hosted many family holidays. Christmas Eve with the entire Venora clan was the best. No one worked harder or put so much love in everything she did. She loved the music of Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Pavarotti. She enjoyed watching old classic movies, gardening and reading. She was a long time parishioner of Saint Rose Church in East Hartford, CT and served as an Extraordinary minister of the Eucharist. Marie’s legacy of love, strength and faith will live on forever in her family. She is survived by her 6 loving children, Cheryl Venora Carabillo of Wethersfield, CT, Diane Lynn Venora of Burbank, California, Deborah Bentrup and her husband William of Marlborough, CT, Donna DuPuis and her husband Fred of West Hartford, CT, Lisa Venora and her husband Jon Abbott of Glastonbury, CT, and Robert Venora, Jr. and his wife Kathy of Ft. Myers, Florida. She also leaves her 6 precious grandchildren, Madzia, Michael, Julia, Nicholas, Jonny and Thomas and 2 great grandchildren, Summer and Isla all of whom she loved so much. Marie also leaves behind her two best friends, Agnes and Betty with whom she shared many happy times, her sisters-in-law, Karen and Joanne, her brother-in-law, Dan and many nieces and nephews. The Venora Family would like to thank all of the health care workers at Glastonbury Health Care Nursing Home and especially the caring doctors and nurses in the palliative and hospice care units at Saint Francis Hospital who gave Marie such wonderful care during her last days. A private burial will take place at Mt. St. Benedict Cemetery, Bloomfield on May 8, 2020. The Mulryan Funeral Home, Glastonbury, CT has care of arrangements. A celebration of Marie’s life with a Memorial Mass of Christian Burial will be held at a later date. On-line condolences may be made at mulryanfh.com.