Catherine Leiner

Lifelong Bolton Resident

Catherine (Kurys) Leiner, 81, of Bolton died September 29 at her home. Mrs Leiner was born February 10, 1926, at the Kurys farmhouse in Bolton, daughter of Michael V. Kurys and Aniela (Cwikla) Kurys, and was a resident of Bolton her entire life.

She is survived by four daughters and two sons-in-law, Audrey and Robert DeBlasio of Newtown, Carol and James Schraffenberger of Stafford Springs, Diane Leiner of Swainton, N.J., and Kathleen Leiner of Bolton; three sons and two daughter-in-laws, Michael and Sharon Leiner of Bolton, John and Roseann Leiner of Palmer, Ark., and Andrew Leiner of Bolton; two sisters, Agnes Murphy and Theresa Ciscon of Bolton; 13 grandchildren, Dawn Little, Rebecca Rackliffe, Marc Schraffenberger, Colin and Holly O’Brien, Carla O’Brien, Brendan O’Brien, Stephanie Leiner, Jonathan, Rosalie, and Justin Leiner, and Michelle and Nicholas DeBlasio; a great-grandson, Elijah Schraffenberger; and many nieces and nephews. Mrs Leiner was predeceased by her husband of 50 years, Carl Leiner; her brothers, Andrew, Joseph, and Casimir Kurys; and a sister, Mary Gozdz.

Mrs Leiner attended the one-room schoolhouse, Birch Mountain School, in Bolton. She graduated from Manchester High School in 1944 and Teachers College of Connecticut in New Britain in 1948. She took great pride in her job as town clerk of Bolton for more than 20 years. Past organizations she belonged to are the Bolton Cemetery Association, St Maurice Nocturnal Adoration Society, Connecticut Town Clerks Association, American Rhododendron and American Rock Garden Societies, Connecticut Chapters, and the Hardy Plant Society.

Funeral services were held October 3 at Watkins Funeral Home in Manchester, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St Maurice Church, Bolton. Burial followed in St James Cemetery, Manchester.

Memorial contributions may be made to Care & Share, c/o St Maurice Church, 32 Hebron Road, Bolton CT 06043 or the Catholic Church Extension Society of USA, PO Box 2303, Chicago IL 60690-9510.

The Newtown Bee        October 5, 2007