Category Archives: Essex

Death Announced of Peter Harron of Essex, Husband of Colette Harron

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Peter Harron

ESSEX, CT — Peter Harron of Essex, Connecticut, was born on October 31, 1940, in Hamilton, Bermuda, to the late Hal Young Harron and the late Phylis West Harron. He passed away suddenly on June 26, 2025. He leaves his beloved wife, Colette Harron, and two sisters, Diana and Aramynta, his nephews, Wendell Anderson and Charles Anderson, and many friends and family in Bermuda, Connecticut, and New York. He was predeceased by his sister, Andrea.

Peter spent his childhood with his three sisters in Bermuda. He attended Appleby College in Canada, The Hatch School in Newport, RI,  Emerson College in Boston, The New School, and HB Studio in New York.

Peter, a lifelong artist, began his creative journey with still photography. His father gifted him a camera and a developing kit when he was nine years old which he put to immediate use. A creative soul, he eventually transitioned into theatre and film production. He started his film career as an actor, then directed plays at New York’s 8th Street Playhouse, ultimately becoming a producer.

Peter studied with Uta Hagen as well as Lee Strasbourg in The Director’s Unit and produced with Edward Albee. He was the cinematographer on the anti-war documentary “Anti-War Music Festival,” which featured Jimi Hendrix, among other major rock stars, as well as “Listen America” and the documentary “Raoni.” Peter also, directed the musical “The Fantasticks” in Bermuda.

Peter developed a distinctive photographic style that provided him with a unique perspective on the world. He favored black and white film for its dream-like quality, and his large-format silver gelatin prints were exhibited at numerous galleries. He captured the immediate aftermath of 9/11 in a series titled “Sept 2001,” which was created to pay homage to the victims. This work was featured in “Here Is New York” at the Spring Street Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art. Another notable project was his documentation of Woodstock in 1969. Throughout his life, he exhibited extensively in galleries and museums, actively participating in the vibrant New York art scene.

Peter was always drawn to the water; he sailed and raced sailboats in Bermuda at the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club and locally at the Essex Yacht Club.  In 1955, he and his family established the Essex Pettipaug Yacht Club. Peter served as a Junior Commodore at the club, where he shared his knowledge and passion for the sport.

Peter loved to photograph the light and cool shadows at dawn in Colette’s beautiful garden in Essex. Peter’s inimitable style and sophistication, along with his broad knowledge, wit, and unwavering love for Colette, his friends, and family, will be deeply missed.

Donations may be made in Peter’s memory to:  The Essex Fire Department; or the Valley Shore Animal Welfare.

The Estuary Hosts ‘Delivering Hope’ Event Sept.6, Benefits ‘Meals on Wheels’

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OLD SAYBROOK–On Saturday, Sept. 6, the Estuary will host ‘Delivering Hope: a Party with Purpose‘—an evening of dinner, drinks and dancing to benefit its Meals on Wheels program.

The fundraiser will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. at The Estuary, 220 Main Street, Old Saybrook. Tickets are available at this link..

The organization in a press release said the ‘Delivering Hope’ event aims to bring the community together to tackle food insecurity among seniors and ensure access to nutritious meals. 

Funds raised through ticket sales, a silent auction, and donations will directly support meal preparation and delivery services. 

The Estuary provides nutrition, transportation, social services, activities, and fitness programs to residents in Chester, Clinton, Essex, Deep River, Killingworth, Lyme, Old Lyme, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook.

For more information about the Estuary, visit this link.

Death Announced of Sarah Cooley Martin, Sister of Jeff Cooley of Old Lyme

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ESSEX – Sarah Cooley Martin, born May 18, 1940, died Aug. 1, 2025, with her family at her side in Essex. Born in Hartford, she was the daughter of Paul Whitman Cooley and Jane Crary Allen.

Sarah attended the Renbrook School, graduated from The Wheeler School in Rhode Island, and then attended Hollins University, Virginia. During her college career, Sarah spent a year abroad at the coveted Villa Marchetti Art Academy.

She is survived by her sister Clare Edwards and her husband Jared of Essex; and by her brother Jefferey Cooley and his wife Betsy of Old Lyme. She is also survived by her three sons, Whitman Seymour and wife Lisa of Niantic, David Seymour and wife Anna and Christopher Seymour of West Hartford; as well as by her nephew Johnathan Edwards and wife Allison of West Hartford. Sarah is also the beloved grandmother to eight grandchildren; and one great-grandson. Her husband, Robert S. Martin, predeceased her in 2023. Sarah enjoyed traveling and spending time outdoors with her husband Bob. She was a skilled racket player and a feared opponent on the croquet court.

After her education, she resided in West Hartford and was a volunteer at Hartford Hospital for numerous years. Her fondness and constant involvement in all five ARTs of Hartford made her a keen ally to them where she served on the Board of Trustees of the Mark Twain Home and Museum and of the Connecticut Opera.

A gourmet cook, all welcomed an invite from Sarah for a friend-filled, exciting meal at the dining room table, particularly at 219. Utilizing these cooking skills, Sarah served on the editorial committee and was chair of recipe testing of the award-winning Connecticut à La Carte Cookbook, published in 1982, which benefitted the five ARTs of Hartford, and subsequently went on to multiple publishings.

Dedicated to community, Sarah was a volunteer at Habitat for Humanity through Asylum Hill Church and a member of the Connecticut Valley Garden Club where she served as its president. She played bridge at the Old Lyme Country Club and was a regular attendee at Florence Griswold Museum events and programs. Sarah was also a member of the National Society of Colonial Dames of America.

Sarah’s greatest passion was spending time at her Shore home visiting with family and friends, sharing a laugh or memory with everyone in Old Black Point (OBP). She spent her summers at OBP since the year of her birth, and she always looked forward to the summer weekends of mayhem and shenanigans with a full house of family and grandchildren.

A woman of utmost grace, character, enthusiasm and unpretentiousness, Sarah never missed an outing, sports game, performance, or ceremony for those she loved. She fostered irreplaceable relationships throughout her life which will sustain her legacy for those of us that remain behind.

A Memorial Service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 10, at Asylum Hill Church in Hartford, with a gathering to follow for Family and Friends.

Donations may be made in her memory to the Helen & Harry Gray Cancer Center, 79 Retreat Avenue, Hartford, CT 06106, and the Essex Meadows Scholarship Fund, 30 Bokum Road, Essex CT 06426.

Essex Winter Series Now Under Leadership of Renowned Flutist With Retirement of 15-year Artistic Director Mihae Lee

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Pianist Mihae Lee, left, has stepped down after 15 years as director of the Essex Winter Series. She will be succeeded by accomplished flutist Tara Helen O’Connor. Photo courtesy of the Essex Winter Series.

ESSEX–Tara Helen O’Connor has joined Essex Winter Series as its newest artistic director for the 2026 season following Mihae Lee’s retirement from the role. 

The organization in a recent press release said Lee held the leadership position for 15 years.

The group described Lee’s successor as an “exceptional musician who wishes to maintain the reputation, quality, and community commitment that her predecessor achieved.”

O’Connor, a flutist, is a charismatic performer noted for her “artistic depth, brilliant technique and colorful tone spanning every musical era,” according to the group. 

A recipient of Lincoln Center’s Avery Fisher Career Grant and two-time Grammy nominee, she was the first wind player invited to participate in the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center’s Bowers Program. She is a recurring featured artist with the Chamber Music Society. 

O’Connor is a regular participant in numerous chamber music festivals across the country. Along with her husband Daniel Phillips, she is the newly appointed co-artistic director of the Music From Angel Fire Festival in New Mexico.

She has premiered hundreds of new works and has collaborated with the Orion String Quartet, St. Lawrence Quartet, Emerson String Quartet, Jaime Laredo, Dawn Upshaw, Eliot Fisk, Jeremy Denk, Ida Kavafian, Peter Serkin and David Shifrin. Tara is a member of the woodwind quintet Windscape, the legendary Bach Aria Group and is a founding member of the Naumburg Award-winning New Millennium Ensemble. An advocate of new music, she is a member of the Talea and Cygnus Ensembles. 

O’Connor has appeared on A&E’s Breakfast with the Arts and PBS’ Live from Lincoln Center. She has recorded for Deutsche Grammophon, EMI Classics, Koch International, CMS Studio Recordings with the Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center and Bridge Records. She has just released a solo CD of American flute works entitled The Way Things Go on Bridge Records with pianist Margaret Kampmeier.

She holds a doctor of musical arts degree from Stony Brook University in New York. At the Purchase College School of the Arts Conservatory of  Music, she is an associate professor of flute, head of the woodwinds department and the coordinator of classical music studies. She also serves on the faculty of Bard College Conservatory of Music, the Contemporary Performance Program at Manhattan School of Music and is a visiting artist, teacher and coach at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto. 

Mihae Lee Legacy Concert

Lee, who became Artistic Director of Essex Winter Series in 2011 when president Fenton Brown stepped down, has been recognized by the Essex Winter Series Board of Trustees through the creation of the annual Mihae Lee Legacy Concert starting in the upcoming season. 

The group credited Lee with bringing in accomplished musicians and expanding community outreach to schools, senior communities and libraries. 

“With at least four concerts each winter and five days of outreach every year in Middlesex and New London Counties, reaching thousands, her success is clear,” the group said.

Letter to the Editor: Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley Needs You Now More Than Ever

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To the Editor:

For more than 100 years, Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley has been a trusted presence along the Connecticut shoreline, providing compassionate, high-quality healthcare to individuals in the comfort of their own homes. As a not-for-profit, community-based agency, our mission has always been to put people before profit—and we remain deeply committed to that mission today.

Our dedicated team of skilled nurses, physical, occupational, and speech therapists, home health aides, and social workers work tirelessly to help patients heal safely and comfortably at home. Whether you’re recovering from surgery, managing a chronic illness, or need support transitioning from hospital to home, we’re here when you need us most.

But now, we need you.

Why Community Support Matters

As a small, independently operated agency, we are facing unprecedented challenges:

  • Declining reimbursements from insurance companies
  • Rising competition from large, corporate healthcare systems
  • Referral limitations by hospitals and skilled nursing facilities that often direct patients only to their partnered agencies

These trends threaten the existence of independent providers like Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley—providers who have long stood as pillars in their communities.

Despite these pressures, we refuse to compromise on what matters most: personalized, timely, and compassionate care.

What Sets Us Apart

  • No delays in services—we’re small, responsive, and focused on your needs
  • Personalized attention—you’re never a number
  • Local and not-for-profit—choosing us supports a community-based agency that reinvests in your neighborhood
  • Trusted for generations—our roots in the Lower Valley run deep

You Have the Right to Choose

Did you know that you have the legal right to choose your home healthcare provider? Under Connecticut General Statute 19a-504d, patients can request the agency they prefer. When you’re at the hospital or rehab facility and planning your return home, ask for Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley by name—and continue with the team you already trust.

How You Can Help

  • Choose us and support local when you or a loved one needs homecare
  • Spread the word to family, friends, and neighbors
  • Advocate for patient choice in healthcare
  • Donate to support our not-for-profit mission and help us continue serving your community

To learn more about our services or how to support our work, visit www.visitingnurses.org or call 860-767-0186.

We are honored to walk beside you on your care journey—and with your support, we’ll continue to do so for the next century and beyond.

Sincerely,

Sarah Foley on behalf of The Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley,
Old Lyme

Editor’s Note: About 15% of Visiting Nurses of the Lower Valley’s clientele comes from Old Lyme. The group also serves Centerbrook, Chester, Clinton, Deep River, East Haddam, East Lyme, Essex, Haddam, Ivoryton, Killingworth, Madison, Moodus, Old Saybrook, Waterford, and Westbrook.