Rosalyn Chuvala was many things to many people — a brilliant mind, a supportive friend, a truly incredible mother, sister, grandma; a wise sage, a prankster. She was a deeply intuitive and spiritual person who made the lives of everyone around her better simply by her presence.

Rosalyn was the second of five children born to Rosalyn and Martin Chuvala of Bethel, coming into life on September 27, 1938, during one of the deadliest and most destructive hurricanes in US history. She spent much of her childhood as a tomboy, terrorizing the neighborhood boys and teaching herself how to fall like a paratrooper off of her bed. In high school she was an exceptional athlete, achieving Varsity letters in both softball and basketball. A polymath, she was interested in everything from politics to astronomy to birding, even learning German and Spanish in the last decade of her life. Rosalyn loved to hunt, swim, run, ski and scuba in her younger life, and as she grew older she was a long-term yoga practitioner. She overcame two major illnesses in mid-life before succumbing to gastrointestinal cancer one week before her 86th birthday.

Rosalyn graduated from Bethel High School at the top of her class in 1956, and went on to be trained as a nurse at the Danbury Hospital School of Nursing, graduating as an RN in 1959. She wore many hats during her nursing career working in the ED, OR, psychiatry, and detox, not fully retiring until she was 80 years old. Much of her work was in mental health and substance abuse, and her extensive skills and deep compassion helped many people to choose a sober life.

Rosalyn had a gorgeous singing voice and performed regularly in productions by The Charles Pope Choristers and The Sweet Adelines. She played many musical instruments as well, including the guitar, ukulele, zither, and dulcimer.

She was also an avid amateur photographer. She was well-known for sending home-made cards for birthdays and holidays, featuring photos of family members or of beautiful sunsets, landscapes, the natural world, or anything else that she thought would “make a great shot.”

Rosalyn put aside her career and musical pursuits in her mid-twenties to have three children: Theresa Dischiavo Swift, Rosalyn J. Dischiavo and David A. Dischiavo.

Theresa lives in Sandy Hook with husband Jim and sons Orlando and William. Rosalyn junior is a successful educator residing in Tucson, Ariz., with faithful furry friends Peanut and Abby. David lives with wife Michelle and daughters Raine and Isabel in Latham, N.Y.

All of Rosalyn’s grandchildren were close to her and benefited greatly from her sage advice, creative genius, and her ability to bring out the best in each of them.

In addition to her children and grandchildren, she is survived by her younger siblings Betty Jane Ross of Danbury, Thomas Chuvala (Nikki) of Maryland, David Chuvala (Kathy) of Southbury, and many nieces and nephews.

Rosalyn was predeceased by her older sister Joan Austin.

Mom, Gram, Friend and Sister, there is no way to express how special you were, and to how many people. We had to create a schedule to keep track of all of the people who wanted to see you in your last days. We love you, we admired you, we were fortunate to have learned from and laughed with you. We know you are whooping it up now with sister Joan and the rest of your family in a much better place.

A celebration of life service is scheduled at 11 am on October 20, 2024 at The Pruyn House in Latham, N.Y.