Catherine Cozzi Konefal, 99, of Manchester, passed away peacefully on March 1, 11 days before her 100th birthday. She was the wife of the late Walter Konefal. She was born on March 12, 1921 in Middle Haddam to Achille and Mary (Kavanaugh) Cozzi, their first child. She attended school in the one-room schoolhouse on Haddam Neck Road, Middle Haddam and graduated from Middletown High School in 1939. She then attended and graduated from New Britain Teachers’ College (now Central Connecticut State University). After graduation she began a long career as an elementary school teacher in Connecticut. She lived in Middle Haddam on Hog Hill Road until 1970 when she and Walter moved to Florida and continued teaching there until retirement. Her students were her joy.

In addition to her husband and her parents, Catherine is predeceased by her infant daughter, Suzanne Marie, and by her siblings, John Cozzi of Portland, Helen Hayes of Middletown and Rita Becker of Middle Haddam. She is survived by her nieces and nephews and their families, Kathleen Smith of West Virginia, Barry Hayes of South Carolina, Sharon Becker of Middle Haddam, Jacquelyn Skillings of Hebron, Leslie Logiudice of Haddam, Howard Becker of Ohio, Lynette Branday of Middletown and Robert Cozzi of East Hampton.

Per her SPECIFIC instructions, she requested no calling hours and no flowers. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady of Peace Church, 370 May Road in East Hartford on Saturday, March 13 at 10:00am. The Mass will be followed by burial in St Patrick’s Cemetery in East Hampton. Catherine left no requests for memorial donations but if you wish to make one, please choose one that is personal to you.