Althea Stadler

Althea Isabel (Davis) Stadler, 94, of Mansfield Center, CT, born October 14,1917 to Benjamin P. Davis and his wife Charlotte(Franklin) Davis died peacefully on December 29, 2011 in Hartford Hospital from complications of a stroke. An only child, she grew up on the family farm in Franklin, CT among many close relatives and friends, graduated from the one room Smith Elementary School, Windham High School in Willimantic, CT, University of Connecticut in1938 and Yale University School of Nursing in 1941. Althea married Lawrence Bernard Stadler on September 2, 1941. They lived in Bristol, CT and Rosemont, CA and moved to Rochester MN where she began a twenty year career as a Nurse Educator. She became a recognized authority in Psychiatric Nursing Education. In subsequent family moves she continued teaching in Columbus, OH and Minneapolis, MN, and serving in a number of nursing organizations. She and her husband retired in 1979 and moved to Mansfield Center, CT where they beautifully renovated her grandparents 1846 Greek Revival home and six acres of lawn and gardens. She was accomplished in interior design and meticulous in maintaining the authenticity of the period. She enjoyed working in the large family garden and preserving a winter supply of fruit and vegetables. Among her main hobbies was the collection and restoration of dolls. She learned how to repair broken dolls and to dress them in the proper period clothing with 18th and 19th century fabrics from her attic. This interest led her to becoming Curator of dolls at the Lyman Allyn Museum in New London where she restored much of their collection, trained Docents and arranged many popular special exhibits. Another hobby involved the collection of women's hats and accessories dating from the late 1700s to the 1940s.She was often asked by various groups to display and describe representative samples from the several eras. She was very active in the Mansfield Historical Society leading the designing and creation of a number of the particularly notable exhibits, and donating many items to the permanent collections. She was extremely fond of, and knowledgeable about all categories of classical music. Many evenings were devoted to listening to favorite works from her extensive collection of vinyl records, tapes and CDs. She was for many years a member of the First Congregational Church of Mansfield and was a member of its' Community Club, active in community outreach. She eventually returned to Franklin Congregational Church, the church of her childhood, serving as a Deacon and other capacities until becoming Deacon Emeritus. Through her long association there she had become known as an encyclopedia of the names, places and history of Franklin. Lawrence, her husband for sixty two wonderful years died in 2002.She is survived by her daughter Christine McCarthy and her husband Robert McCarthy of Troy, NY, son John D. Stadler and his wife Sandra of Claremore, OK, grandchildren Jane McCarthy of New York, NY, Laura McCarthy of Livingston, MT, Peter McCarthy of Troy, NY, David Stadler, Wendi Slay, and Rebecca Parson all of Claremore, OK and nine great grandchildren. She is survived as well by her husband Richard Franklin Clapp, a college classmate and lifelong family friend, married in May, 2007. There are no calling hours. The funeral service will be held on Saturday Jan. 7th at 10:30am at Franklin Congregational Church, 31 Meetinghouse Hill Rd., Franklin. Interment will follow in Plains Cemetery, Franklin. For those who wish, memorial donations are suggested to either Franklin Congregational Church, 31 Meetinghouse Hill Rd., Franklin, CT. 06245 or Mansfield Historical Society, P.O. Box 145, Storrs, CT 06268-0145 . For an online memorial guestbook, please visit www.potterfuneralhome.com .