Jeanne Marguerite Craffey Honan, 92, of Newtown, died peacefully surrounded by her loving family on Thursday, March 9, at the Regional Hospice Center for Comfort Care and Healing in Danbury.

Born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1924, Jeanne grew up in Dorchester, Mass, and moved to Newtown when she married William A. Honan, Jr. in 1947. There she raised eight children and was involved in numerous community and civic organizations.

She was a tireless advocate for people with developmental and intellectual disabilities and worked with other families with special needs children, the Connecticut Legislature, and then Governor John Dempsey to establish the Connecticut Department of Mental Retardation and a class for children with special needs in Newtown. In addition, Jeanne was a volunteer for Meals on Wheels, the Visiting Nurse Association, and Danbury Hospital. She served for many years on the Board of Trustees of Southbury Training School as well as on the Board of the C.H.Booth Library. She was also a long-time member the Newtown Woman’s Club and a communicant of St. Rose of Lima Church.

A warm-hearted and gracious woman, Jeanne was an avid gardener and cook. However, her greatest joy was her family. She is survived by her children Daniel T. Honan and his wife Colleen of Newtown; Rita Crana and her husband Paul of Danbury; Patricia Carey and her husband Thomas of Westport; Eleanor Callanan and her husband John of Burdett, N.Y.; Joan Bohlin of Dennis, Mass; Maureen Honan of Torrington; and Bridget Loughney and her husband Michael of Westport.

She is also survived by 11 grandchildren: Christopher Bohlin, Katie Waters, Shannon Schamel, Neil Callanan, Meaghan Carey, Michael Carey, Brian Carey, Eileen Stabbe, Patrick Honan, Molly Loughney, and Daniel Loughney. Seven great-grandchildren and several nieces and nephews also survive her.

She was preceded in death by her husband William (Bill) Honan, Jr, her son John (Jack) Honan, and her son-in-law Albert (Chip) Bohlin, as well as two brothers and two sisters.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in St. Rose of Lima Church on Thursday March 16 at 10:30am. Interment will follow in St. Rose Cemetery. Friends may call at the Honan Funeral Home, 58 Main Street in Newtown on Wednesday March 15 from 2:00pm to 4:00pm and 6:00pm to 8:00pm.

Memorial contributions may be made to Regional Hospice and Palliative Care, 30 Milestone Road, Danbury, Conn., 06810. www.regionalhospicect.org

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