Deborah Donnelly Remembered And Honored

By R. Scudder Smith

ROXBURY — “Roxbury granite, because of the way it was formed millions of year ago, is synonymous with quality, strength and permanence, all attributes of Deborah Donnelly,” Barbara Henry, first selectman of Roxbury said on Saturday, July 28, as she led a special dedication to one of its popular citizens who died February 7, 2007. A granite bench, gift from both family and friends, was placed near the stone wall that borders the Roxbury Museum at 9 South Street.

Mrs Donnelly served as chair of the Roxbury Museum Commission, thus making the museum a fitting choice for the location of the bench. The museum was a popular source of information for her and she kept Roxbury’s history alive through her articles that appeared in The Waterbury Republican. Her journalistic career also included several years as editor of Town Times of Watertown, a weekly newspaper that was owned and published at the time by The Bee Publishing Company.

The dedication was attended by many of her friends and Deborah’s husband, Sean, and members of the family. First Selectman Barbara Henry told the gathering that the bench was “a gift of her friends and family and to honor a life of accomplishment.”