Mary Lou Devivo

Mary Lou DeVivo, 76, of Windham, CT, went home to the Lord on Wednesday, July 1, 2015 after a short battle with cancer. Mary Lou was a devout Roman Catholic and a communicant at Christ the King Parish, Old Lyme; Saint Joseph Parish in Windham and Saint Thomas Aquinas in Storrs. Mary Lou graduated in 1960 from Willimantic State Teachers College with a BA in Education, and later received a degree from Holy Apostles College in Cromwell with a BA in Religion. She was employed for many years as a preschool and kindergarten teacher and later served as the Director of Religious Studies at St Joseph's Parish in Windham. She was President and owner of Willimantic Waste Paper Co. which she grew into a regional solid waste organization. Mary Lou was most known for her vast involvement in community-based organizations. She was a founding member of the Covenant Soup Kitchen and the Willimantic Co-Op. She served as a Chair of the Board of Directors of the Access Agency, was an active member of the Eastern Alumni group, Altrusa, Windham Library Board, The Willimantic Irish Club, The Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum, The Victorian Neighborhood Association, The Windham Garden Club, Round Table at St. Thomas, and the Board for Saint Mary Saint Joseph School. She summered in Old Lyme her entire life, was a life long Democrat and also enjoyed raising and showing dogs. She was a former Cupid of Willimantic who started the Windham Reads Program and was an advocate for enhancing Windham Schools. She believed Windham's pathway out of poverty was education and that all children must learn to read. She leaves behind a legacy of hope for her entire community. She was predeceased by her husband, James DeVivo; her parents, William and Francis Corbett; a brother, Peter Corbett; a sister, Joyce Repass; a brother-in-law, Donald Repass; and a daughter-in-law, Kathleen DeVivo. She leaves behind her children, Thomas DeVivo and wife Pamela, Timothy DeVivo and wife Kerry, Bridget Lowell and husband Daniel, John DeVivo and wife Monica, Gina DeVivo Brassaw and husband Arthur; and her grandchildren, Amanda DeVivo, Ben DeVivo, Melanie Miela, Brianna DeVivo, Julia DeVivo, Kristina DeVivo, Nolan DeVivo, Daniel Lowell, Alexandria Lowell, Ryan Lowell, James DeVivo, Mary Jasmine DeVivo, Corbett Brassaw and Isabella Brassaw. In lieu of flowers or donations we ask that you do a kind act towards others. The Family will receive friends and relatives at Potter Funeral Home, 456 Jackson St. (Rte. 195) Willimantic, CT on Monday, July 6, 2015 from 1:00pm-3:00pm and 5:00pm-7:00pm. A funeral service will be held the following day, Tuesday, July 7,2015 at 10:00 am at St. Joseph's Church at 99 Jackson St. Willimantic, CT. Burial will follow at Saint Joseph Cemetery. Please sign the on-line guest book at www.potterfuneralhome.com