Merrillyn Anne Healey Decker of Monroe passed away peacefully on January 6, 2026, four days shy of her 93rd birthday. She lived a long, full life marked by intellectual curiosity, public service, and deep devotion to her family.

Merrillyn was predeceased by her beloved husband of 65 years, Karl Decker; her parents, Merrill and Dorothy Healey of West Hartford; her brother, James R. Healey, and his wife, Maryann, of Newtown; and her sister, Elaine Reichert, and her husband, Paul, of New Smyrna Beach, Florida.

She is survived by her three children: Christine Lowry of Largo, Florida; Lawrence Decker and his wife, Holly, of Newtown; and Karen Decker of Woodbury. She is also survived by seven grandchildren: Brian Jeffries and his wife, Jessica; Danielle Jeffries; Matthew; Jonathan; Bryce Decker; Silas Decker; and Carly Decker. In addition, she is survived by her sisters-in-law, Julie Anne Goetze (her husband, Rolf, predeceased) of Massachusetts, and Lynne DeJong Decker and her husband, Eddie, of Vermont, along with several nieces and nephews and their families.

Merrillyn earned her bachelor’s degree from Colby College in Maine and went on to earn her master’s degree from Columbia University in Manhattan. A lifelong learner and civic-minded citizen, she was deeply involved in her community. She was an active member of the League of Women Voters and served on the Board of Education in the 1960s. Merrillyn and Karl were also involved in the early beginnings of The Monroe Courier.

She spent many years teaching at Sandy Hook Elementary School and Head O’Meadow School in Newtown. Never one to stop learning, Merrillyn later attended University of Bridgeport, where she earned her Juris Doctor degree, passed the bar in 1981, and practiced family law.

In her later years, Merrillyn served as president of American Association of University Women (AAUW), developed a Contemporary Global Issues Study Group, and remained an active participant in multiple study and book clubs. And, not to be forgotten, she was an avid and loyal fan of UConn women’s basketball.

Services will be private.