Search:

Margaret Sullivan Wilson, 84, passed away on Saturday, July 12, 2008, following a brief illness. At the time of her death, she resided with her daughter and son-in-law in Collinsville, Conn.

She was born on March 21, 1924, in Norwich, Conn., and was the daughter of Margaret Ellen (Connelly) and John Joseph Sullivan II.

Margaret grew up in Thamesville and was educated in the Norwich school system, graduating from Norwich Free Acadamy. She received her bachelor of science degree from Willimantic State Teachers College and her master’s of education from the University of Connecticut. She returned to Norwich to start her professional teaching career in 1945 and retired as an executive dean at Eastern CT State University in 1989. Peg was married to William Robert Wilson on July 20, 1950; they were married for 29 years until his passing on April 30, 1979.

Hers was a lifetime of noteworthy achievements, accomplishments and awards. Peg dedicated her life to the pursuits of childhood development. In June 2006, the Margaret S. Wilson Child Family Development Complex at ECSU was dedicated to her. She was the president of the Thames Valley Council for Community Action and founder of the Head Start program in Norwich; the Head Start Center was named in her honor. Peg was instrumental in the state Mental Health Association.

As president of the Connecticut Mental Health Association, she wrote legislation to design the structure of community involvement and regional mental health boards. In May of this year, she was honored by Natchaug Hospital with a Lifetime Achievement Award and was noted as an “educator, visionary and tireless advocate on behalf of the children of Eastern Connecticut.” She served on many state and national commissions for children’s services, the Blue Ribbon for UConn Health Center, the White House Conference on Children and the National Commission to reduce Infant Mortality. Throughout her life, she was actively involved in politics; from the Board of Education to the Democratic Town Committee and a delegate to the 1968 and 1972 Democratic National conventions. Peg was a force in Norwich activities and received the Norwich Citizen of the Year award in 1970.

In 2004, she was the founder of the Norwich Historical Society. She led a life of dedicated public service that was recognized with many other awards to honor her distinguished civic and professional work.

Survivors include her two children, Margaret E. Wilson and her husband, Daniel Papapietro, and William R. Wilson Jr., M.D., and his wife, Joan; five grandchildren, Andrew and Alexis Briggie, William, Brandon and Alaina Wilson; as well as sisters-in law, brother-in-law and many nieces and nephews.

Calling hours will be held from 4 until 8 p.m. today at Christ Episcopal Church, 78 Washington St., in Norwich, with a 10 a.m. funeral service on Wednesday, July 16. Burial will immediately follow in Maplewood Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Margaret S. Wilson Scholarship Fund, ECSU Foundation, 83 Windham St., Willimantic, CT 06226.

The church and Allen Funeral Home have been entrusted with these arrangements.